Blood Tithe to the Devil
by Paulathe Cat
Summary: S6 Spoilers, some lang. no slash  though I play a little with Destiel innuendo . The guys hear Crowley is looking for an Alpha that will definitely get him what he wants. But there's a complication. Lisa, Ben, Dean, Sam, Bobby, Crowley, Castiel, OMC Alpha
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This is a fiction by a foolish little dabbler who doesn't own anything Supernatural—well, dvd sets, copies of novels and graphic novels. I don't have anything close to that kind of talent! HA! Spoilers up to and including Season 6. Some language. No slash or sexual content.

**A/N:** Did you know that while I was researching "Walking the Edge", I found a great many things about faeries? It seems that when Lucifer began his little uprising, Heaven's Gates were locked. All the crazy little Angels on either side of the conflict not IN Heaven or Hell at the time were locked out. In tribute to the Devil, those fallen angels (Faeries) were to pay a tithe of souls every seven years. Now, Crowley being Crowley, I can imagine he utilized this little bit of information with interest. I hope you have fun with this. R&R, plz.

**Blood Tithe**

He looked into the deep blue eyes of the woman before him. He was pissed. How dare she invade his home?

"I don't owe your mother anything!" He growled.

"You struck a bargain with the Queen of the Seelie. She requires your assistance." The young woman stated with a flat emotionless voice.

Seth grumbled and paced. The evergreen needles under his feet crushed and sent the scent of pine to linger in the air between them.

"I paid my debt." He said ominously in a whisper.

"Yes, well…" she hedged, "The terms of that bargain have been… expanded. Apparently, this sort of thing is all the rage nowadays."

Seth tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The woman stood completely still. Her blonde hair tumbled in curls around her face and down her back to her waist. Her luminous blue eyes shone brightly in the moonlight. She had pale skin and delicate features. She wasn't all that tall, but she wasn't tiny. The fact that Seth was nearly seven foot tall only made her appear diminutive. She looked up at Seth's face, into his eyes. She sighed.

"Mother met with… the seven year teine is about to become due… and Mother met with… him. He said he wants 10, 000 this time." She lowered her eyes when she saw his blue eyes go wide in shock.

"That's…" He paused to calculate in his head. "That's 500 percent more than the original treaty asks for!" He was astounded by the sheer audacity.

The woman nodded. "Mother needs her most fearsome warriors. She needs..."

Seth held up his hand to stop her. "I am NOT her warrior. She SOLD me to those… those GIANTS as a draft horse! I do NOT work for HER!" Seth was mad that the Queen of the Seelie would presume to order him.

"Please, Seth." The small woman pleaded. Her eyes, her body, her voice all betrayed the fear she felt. "She wants to meet with her sister. He gave the Unseelie the same… alteration in the treaty as he gave Mother. Mother hopes that her sister will join her against him."

Seth stopped his fidgeting and agitation. He stopped and stared at the Princess. His eyes bored into the fairy. His voice was low and gravelly. "What does the King of Hell want with 20,000 souls from the Fae?"

******SPN SPN SPN SPN ******

Sam watched his brother stare into the night. They were hell and gone from any nearby town… truly in the middle of nowhere. He watched from the passenger seat as his brother sat on the hood of the Impala staring at flat nothing span in front of them.

Dean hadn't spoken about much the last few weeks. He didn't say more than a few words together at all. He pretty much shut his emotions down more than was typical for even him. The volume on the Impala's radio never went above a whisper and when radio stations cut out, he didn't change over to one of his tapes. He turned the radio off. Sam was beginning to wonder if this was more than his brother was able to handle. Sam knew that Dean used bravado and his smart snark to cover emotional wounds or vulnerability. Sam worried that maybe having yet another person in his life fail him… well, Dean gave himself completely to his family. _We don't always return the favor, do we, big brother?_

Dad had failed him. Dad sold his soul to save Dean, but Dean thought that it was just another way Dad tried to leave him. Sam failed Dean. Dean raised him, and Sam failed him over and over again. Sam chose a demon over his brother—even after going to Hell for Sam, to keep Sam alive, safe. Ellen, Jo, Adam, Jim, Caleb, Bobby, Lisa, Ben… Dean continued to be faithful to every one of the people in their lives whom he saw as family. Maybe, the only one in their lives who hadn't failed or tried to leave them was Bobby.

Now, Cas had failed Dean. Sam was afraid it was just too much.

Dean sat on the hood of his Impala, staring off into space. Sam sighed. He reached for the handle to the door. He wondered if he should open the door when his phone rang.

"Hey, Bobby… no, we're in the middle of nowhere, Kansas… I guess, but I have to get him back into the car first… no, he just pulled over and is sitting on the hood… how am I supposed to know? He doesn't say more than three words… sigh yes, I'll tell him." Sam clicked the phone shut and opened the door. He walked to sit next to his brother.

Dean looked at Sam with a sidelong glance but said nothing. Sam waited but his brother sat and continued to remain silent. Sam huffed in agitation. "Dean, we have to go. Bobby just called. He needs us to check something out in the Rocky Mountains."

Dean didn't question or look like he wanted to argue. He just looked down at the ground in front of them. Sam wanted him to say something, anything. He wanted his big brother to be _there_ and Dean was so very far away. "Dean. Please." Sam whispered. Dean jerked his head up quickly at hearing Sam's voice, so quiet and sad. He was always tuned into "Sam radio". Dean's eyes softened and watched his brother through concerned green orbs.

"I'm fine, Sammy." He said. "I'm always fine." He whispered.

Dean pushed off the Impala and walked to the driver's side of the car. He looked expectantly toward his brother. He heard the hitching in Sam's breath as he also pushed off to move. Dean slid in to sit and wait. Sam took a moment to collect his self before also entering the car. The lights from the billions of stars blinked ahead of them. Dean turned the ignition on but didn't put the car in gear. Sam looked askance at Dean but waited for his brother. Dean appeared like he would say something to Sam. _Dean, please. You can't keep going like this. Talk to me, Brother._ Dean didn't say a thing. He put the car in drive and pulled onto the lonely two-lane highway.

******SPN SPN SPN SPN ******

There were three demons quaking in front of the King of Hell. One little demon stood near the door and didn't quake. That was dangerous. He figured it was necessary to either bring her to heel or to destroy her utterly. Crowley growled deep within.

"I sent a dozen of you and you couldn't bring me one Alpha? I even told you where he was! How is it that only four of you return to me… _without_ my Alpha?"

The demons in front of him said nothing but continued to quake. The little one near the door started to saunter forward.

"My king," She began, "We could have had an army and not been able to overpower him. This creature is not going to be taken by demons. Surely, you know the lore?"

Part of him wanted to rip her apart. But, he knew she was right. He walked up to the three in front of him. He was fury. The King of Hell approached the nearest demon and stood raging in front of him. He imagined the demon possessed another's face and it just ratcheted his anger. He growled. He crooked his finger to the moron to bring him down, closer to Crowley's face. Crowley reached up and used his might to smite the demon, twisting the neck of his meat-suit with a sickening crack. He allowed the dead meat to fall to the floor. He rushed to face off with the little female. Her eyes widened slightly, but she hurried to mask it.

He stood before her staring. Her head bowed. She averted her gaze from her king. She knew she would end like the dead demon there if she antagonized him even as innocuously as looking at him with the wrong expression. She swallowed a lump in her throat. She started to shake when her king didn't break off his scrutiny. He took another step toward her. She found herself cowering before him. His voice grew low and raspy.

"I _want_ that Alpha."

"You will have it, my king." She confirmed.

He stepped back. He hears a flutter of wings in the corner. He turned and waved them to leave.

"Hello, Angel-face." He coos when his demons depart.

"Have you found it yet?" Castiel inquires. Crowley growls again.

"Only a matter of time…" He responded. He stifled a grin as he approached the blue-eyed angel. He inhaled deeply. "If I knew you were such a masochist, I would offer you the services of a very sadistic demon to… fulfill your every want." He began to turn when the angel grabbed the demon's arm and growled at his face.

"What do you mean?" Castiel hissed.

"Dean. Winchester." He enunciated each word.

Castiel released his hold on the demon and looked away.

"Oh, Sweetheart. You have it bad for that human. He trapped you in a ring of Holy Fire and basically told you to piss off! And _still_… you rush off to try and explain yourself? That is all you did, isn't it, Cassie?" He was looking deeply into the angel's eyes, watching for any tic that would reveal a hit. Castiel turned away from the demonlord and walked to the dead demon on the floor. He stood staring at the corpse. Crowley followed discretely and outside of the angel's reach. "Why aren't you angry, Cas? It would be so easy. I could…"

"I said NO!" Castiel bristled at Crowley, raising his voice menacingly, meeting the demon's gaze with steel in his eyes.

Crowley retreated, hands raised in supplication.

Crowley watched as Castiel returned to his scrutiny of the dead thing at his feet. He could see minute tension in the angel's jawline and hardening in his eyes.

_Ah. You say "no" now, Cassie, but soon… yeah, I think soon those disasters are going to push you too hard. That will be the day that I get to collect the souls of the last remaining Winchesters! _Crowley could feel the corners of his lips raise in anticipation.

TBC

A/N: Well, what do you think? Enough BAMF Cas and moody Dean for you? Seth is going to show up again, too. Do you know who or what he is? More hints next chap!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclosure**: Season 6 spoilers, some language, future violence. I don't own SPN.

**A/N**: Yes, well... Thank you, SPN for making everything coming from this chapter onward an Alternate Timeline Fic. Folks, I love the family angle note: angle, not angel with the Winchesters and am not well pleased with the solution Dean came up with in the finale episodes to season 6! So, yes, Ben and Lisa are here. Yes, they will interact with the Winchesters. And no, I have not yet managed to mend my heart from the finale. I'll think about it tomorrow, fiddle dee dee…

**Chapter 2**

The air in Colorado's Rocky Mountains was thin and pine scented—not the fake air freshener pine they passed up in the automotive aisles, or the antiseptic pine of kitchen cleaners—true pine needle, dust and (for some reason) vaguely butterscotch smell of true pine forest. Sam actually liked the fresh, crisp air, but he really didn't look forward to the idea of traipsing around in the forest. Bobby told him there were a number of "weird" disappearances in the area and the police were unable to make heads or tails of the evidence.

Dean was still acting very peculiar. He still only spoke in clipped statements and one or two word answers. All during the witness interviews, he chose to examine the scene and observe rather than actually interact. That, in and of itself, was not extraordinary. But, Sam knew his brother was behaving even more withdrawn than normal and was releasing a measure of control in the investigations he normally never would.

In short, his brother was drowning. Sam knew Dean was never going to admit it long enough to reach for the life preserver. Dean would wallow in the deep end of the pool until the waterline was suffocating him and dragging him under. All he could do was watch, and that was a situation Sam found unacceptable. So, that night, when they returned to the motel room, Sam decided it was time for an intervention.

"Dude, I don't need an intervention" Dean declared when Sam had finished telling him how concerned he was about Dean's behavior.

"Dean, I really think we should talk about this."

Dean rolled his eyes and walked out the door into the crisp evening air without a backward glance.

Yeah, thought Sam. That went well.

It was about an hour later that Bobby called again.

"Hi, Bobby." Sam said, his voice dripping in the dejection he felt.

_It went that well?_

Sam huffed. "Well, he didn't yell or throw anything."

_What did he say?_

"He said he didn't need an intervention"

Silence met his statement for a moment.

_Has he said anything about… you know?_

"He doesn't say anything about anything. The waitress at the diner? …Every time she filled up our drinks, she… like, put them right there! Right in his face and… and he didn't make a comment, or leer, or check her out when she left… nothing! She was cute, Bobby. Just the type he likes, too. Just nothing." Sam could feel his anxiety level rising. It may seem silly to worry that his brother didn't even take the woman's number she left for him, but this was Dean Friggen Winchester. That was red flag number one in the diagnostic handbook! He sighed. "I just don't know how to help him, you know?"

_Well… he's a big boy, Sam. Look, I'm worried, too. But… maybe we are over-reacting here. I mean, maybe he just needs to think something out. Dean is being Dean and getting him to talk about his feelings is about as easy as getting the sky to turn green. Give him some space, Sam. Let him know you'll be there and back off. He'll come around._

Sam considered this. "I guess."

_What did you two find out about the disappearances? _

"Well, there have been twelve disappearances of men associated with a major land developer in the area over the past five years. They go out to survey a particular tract of land and never return. Hikers and campers go up to that area all the time without any problem, but anyone interested in disturbing the land up there… just disappears. There are no bodies, no signs of struggle… just nothing."

_Is there a pattern in the time frames?_

"Not as far as I can tell. It looks like it is specific to a type of traveler as opposed to a time."

_Well, keep looking. And, Sam… get some sleep, kid._

"Will do, Bobby" Sam hung up his phone and sat down at the table in front of his laptop. He glanced at his watch. Ten o'clock. His eyes moved from his watch to the door. He wondered if Bobby was right and this would pass. Sam walked to the curtained window and peeked out to see if he would see Dean returning. He hadn't heard the rumble of the Impala's engine so he knew he didn't take the car. He looked out and saw his brother lying on the hood of the car. What the… It was friggen cold out there!

Sam went out the door to the front of the car and looked at his brother for a moment before speaking. "If I promise not to make you talk about your feelings, will you come inside and get warm?"

Dean opened his eyes and glanced at his brother. Sam was sure Dean would have come in soon at any rate. The sun was down and they were over a mile above sea level in the mountains of Colorado. It was still freezing in late April. Dean wore a t-shirt under two button-down flannel shirts and it just wasn't warm enough to be asleep on the steel hood of a car. Dean slowly edged over to the quarter panel on the Impala and slid down the sleek black side to lean against it.

Sam searched his brother's face to try and decipher what was going on in his head. But, he kept his word not to force him to discuss the thoughts and feelings at the root of his distress. Sam remained silent. Dean did, too. Dean looked at his brother when he heard his teeth start chattering. A short rough laugh escaped Dean and he grinned at his younger brother. Dean gripped his shoulder companionably. "Come on, Sasquatch. Let's go in and get warm."

***SPN SPN SPN***

"Ben, I don't want to have this discussion again." His mom said. Matt had called and told them he was right behind them and would meet them at the cabin in a few hours. He would be bringing enough food to provision them for the duration of their vacation.

"I just don't know why you guys couldn't have left me at home. I could have stayed with Aunt Karen or with Josh." Ben muttered petulantly.

"That defeats the purpose of a _family_ vacation, Ben." Lisa responded to him patiently.

Ben didn't respond but looked out the window. _Matt isn't my family_, he thought.

The road continued to wind upward ahead of them. They climbed higher and higher, passing fewer and fewer manmade structures. The sun was dipping below the horizon in the west and Ben reached over to flip on the heat as the temperatures outside plummeted. He really would rather be anywhere aside from spending a week with his mom and her new boyfriend. Matt was nice enough, but he kept trying to be "friends" with him. Ben really didn't want to think where that particular strategy was going. Ben had that conversation with his mom. He knew it was likely coming. He didn't like it, but he knew it was coming. He told her he didn't want Matt to be part of their family and he felt bad as soon as the words left his mouth. His mom deserved happiness. He just didn't want her happy with Matt.

School had been more work than usual. He found himself angry a lot of the time. He was suspicious of people who tried to make connections with him. He knew it was ridiculous. He knew he was hurting his mom by getting into fights and his failing grades. He just couldn't bring himself to care overmuch. She and Matt devised this "family vacation" so Ben could get to feel that this was a good thing, that Matt was a part of the family, that they could _be_ a family. He didn't want it and the idea of this man coming in to replace Dean just made him angrier. The guy didn't know anything about cars. He kept talking to him in that false cheer adult sometimes used with kids. Dean never did. Dean never called him "buddy" either. Ben gritted his teeth every time Matt said it to him.

That was one of the reasons he had spent so much time with Josh and his dad. Josh's dad was a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and had come home with serious injuries. Josh confided that the injuries were more internal than external, but Ben hadn't worried about that. Josh's dad reminded Ben of Dean. He had the same wariness and caution. It was like the two men put on a mask of calm and ease when around close friends and family, but both were always darting eyes and tension underneath when in public. That was somehow reassuring and made Ben feel safe. Matt was careless. Matt was open and inviting. He allowed people to approach without any hesitancy. Dean always put himself between newcomers and Ben and his mom. He always assessed new people in some way Ben didn't know but always trusted. Ben didn't trust his life to Matt, the doctor.

So, he sulked. He wouldn't admit to anyone that he was sulking, but he was a smart kid and knew what he was doing. He was sulking. To make matters worse, there was no reception on the radio or bars on his cell. _This is going to be fricken great_, he thought to himself. Then he grinned as he thought of Dean. He would think so as well.

***SPN SPN SPN SPN**** SPN SPN SPN SPN**** SPN SPN SPN SPN ****

The moonlight shimmered on the water. He shivered slightly as a breeze wafted over him. It was refreshing to Seth. He loved the cold, thin air. That was the first deterrent that kept people away from his grove. He had some minor enchantments that kept random hikers from breaching too far into his territory. For the truly determined, however, he had to take a more active role. He had to physically confront the humans or otherworldly creature who intruded.

He walked to stand in front of yet another land developer and his henchman being held within the tangle of tree roots and branches. Their eyes were wide and they shivered.

"You know what your mistake was, human?" Seth asked in a calm voice. When he received no answer he leaned down to face the diminutive creature. His translucent grey eyes bored directly into the brown eyes of the terrified human. "Your… employer… has sent many of you humans to invade my grove. And it doesn't seem to matter that they disappear… more of you keep coming in." Seth's eyes flash. A crackle of static arced from the giant to the developer's man. It didn't injure the human but shocked him, frightened him. Seth produced a weapon in his left hand. It was shiny black and spiraled to a sharp point. He put the point to the man's throat. Red swirls of energy pulsed up the spirals and crackled at the tip. Seth brought his other hand to his own face, scrubbing the silver-grey facial hair on his chin. He knelt in front of the man and seemed to consider what to do with the human.

"You understand," Seth began, "I need to send a message so more of you don't keep coming up here." He rose and turned reluctantly away from the man. He could hear the men whimpering. He knew they attempted to plea for their lives, but Seth was unmoved.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclosure**: Season 6 spoilers, some language, future violence. I don't own SPN.

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews, favs and alerts. Sorry, I haven't been able to respond to you who have directly.

**Chapter 3**

"Dean… wake up." Sam nudged his brother. A grunt and groan came from underneath the pillow and Sam grinned. "Yeah, well… I brought you some coffee so there's no excuse."

Another muffled response met his announcement. "No, I don't think that would be wise." Sam responded, though his grin grew. "Besides, you'd get bacon grease all over the sheets."

Dean emerged, blinking, from underneath the pillow. He glared up at his brother but his glare softened as he reached out for the container of caffeine. He lifted the lid as he straightened to sit at the edge of the bed. Sam chuckled softly at his brother's reaction.

Sam was happy to hear his brother's muffled complaints. At least he said something. He hoped Dean was emerging from his depression and working toward becoming more himself. He continued to watch Dean from his place on his own bed. He flipped the pages of printouts onto the bed next to the hunter.

The elder Winchester looked at the top report which contained horrific photos. He lifted the sheet up and read the information. "This happened last night?" he asked.

Sam nodded. He took another sip of coffee and continued to watch his brother.

Dean went through all the printed reports. He got up and walked to the bathroom. Sam was already dressed in slacks and button up white shirt. He waited patiently for Dean to finish his morning ablutions. When he emerged from the bathroom dressed and smelling of soap and spearmint, Sam knew he was ready for work.

"Why do you think there is a change in the M.O.?" Sam asked.

Dean grunted. "I don't know, but I don't think that…" He picked up the report to look at a piece of information contained there, "Mountain Paradise Land and Realty… is going to send anyone else until they can figure this out. Do we know what law enforcement is doing, yet?"

Sam beamed. "Yeah, actually. The forestry service is planning a search of the area and a senator from the district is up for re-elect… so, he will be doing photo-ops to make a show of taking the deaths and assorted disappearances seriously." Sam looked at the pictures. "Is this ours? I mean, there aren't a lot of fuglies that crucify their victims on pine trees in a forest. I mean, are there any creatures we know of that do this kind of thing?" He asked as he pointed at the photos.

Dean shook his head. "Maybe, they were sinners." Dean's eyes became hard and he clenched his teeth together.

"You don't think this was… an angel?" Sam refused to use Castiel's name with Dean. He knew his brother was still hurt and angry.

"They were crucified, Sam. Besides, who knows what those…" He huffed and his breath sped up. He turned his face away from Sam. He clenched his fists and tried to calm himself.

Sam decided he would tread lightly. "I don't really think it was heavenly. There have been some random disappearances as far back as fifty years. There have been more than twelve in the last year, but it seems that it isn't unheard of in this area. There are rumors of some kind of supernatural event, but they attribute it to aliens, if you can believe that…"

Dean's head shot up and he shivered. "I hate faeries." He murmured.

"What was that?" Sam asked

Dean shook his head. "Nothing. What other alien activity is there in the area?"

Sam was confused. "Seriously? You want to investigate alien abductions?"

Dean looked briefly at his brother and his face cleared of bewilderment. "Oh. Uh, yeah… it's something I may have seen before. Actually, come to think of it… maybe, we should go. Maybe, it isn't one of our kinds of things." Dean looked closely at Sam.

_Ah_… "Dean, did you come across something like this before I got my soul back?"

Dean refused to answer. He turned away again. "We should leave."

Sam huffed again. "Dean, we can't keep running away from creatures just because we may have fought them before I got my soul back. If we did that, we might as well just sit on our hands and retire from this whole thing. You should go back to living in suburbia and I'll go back to school…"

"Sam!" Dean exploded. "I can't have you ramming into that wall and when we come against something that might cause it to come tumbling down… Dude, I can't…. I can't handle this!" Dean began pacing. Sam just watched his brother.

Finally, Sam rose and blocked his brother. He spoke in the most soothing voice he could muster. "Bobby sent us because he needs us to check this out. He wouldn't have sent us if he thought it would be something we can't handle… wall or no wall." Sam reached out to grip his brother's shoulders. "The first time I feel so much as a tickle, Dean… I promise we can leave." He gazed into his brother's eyes. He tried to convey all the sincerity he could in his expression. "I promise." Sam reiterated when he saw his brother's determination start to crack. Sam knew he had won when he felt Dean's shoulders start to slump forward marginally. His big brother's face was annoyed but also reluctantly pliant. Sam smiled.

"So, why are aliens crucifying people?" Sam asked

"Not aliens… but, I'm not sure if it… Let's not jump to any conclusions, yet. Okay?" Dean looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"Okay, but what did you think it might be that we had to leave or… what did you think it might be?" Sam asked curiously. What could possibly be so bad his brother was uncomfortable? He had never… He didn't remember his brother ever looking this concerned about a thing they had fought. He never squirmed about the supernatural.

"No… nothing… I'll tell you later." Dean groused and blushed.

Curiouser and curiouser. Sam stifled a grin at his brother's discomfiture. He was fairly happy to see a more normal Dean working here. His heart lifted at the sight. Maybe, it was worth the risk just to see his brother come out of the funk he's been in.

***SPN SPN SPN SPN**** SPN SPN SPN SPN***

_This isn't going to work_, she thought. "We aren't going to be able to sneak up on him." She said to the other three demons. They looked at her with contempt. The four demons were unable to approach the grove in smoke form. They hit the enchantments and had instead reverted to their human forms. _Stupid_, she thought, _and a waste of time_.

She followed the others, but she thought she should go hunting down some virgins. It was really the only way. She had seen him up close and personal. She knew he was a strong and a vicious fighter. She knew he wouldn't let her escape a second time. She slowed her pace even more, falling further and further behind. The others were not silent and she knew the creature would not forgive the trespass. If he would crucify humans on the perimeter of his territory, what would he do to us?

She drew herself up and stopped walking. She waited. She knew he would come soon. She could almost feel him. She felt her boy tremble of its own volition. That was when she heard it. She heard the defiant scream of the creature. No mortal creature made the sound like that. Then, the demon voices went up in pain and despair. She nearly ran. Then, she remembered how dangerous it would. Wild things, she knew, were attracted by the running of prey.

She backed away. She walked quietly and turned back the way she came.

"Leaving?" Came a husky menacing voice. She turned slowly. She looked up into the grey eyes of the Alpha. She took a risk.

"I warned them, Lord." She nodded her head and kept it bowed to the creature looming over her.

This made the creature startle and he looked at her in bewilderment.

"Lord?" he asked her. "When did I become your lord, demon?"

She smirked and managed to peek to see the expression on his face. "Right now, Lord."

He scoffed. "What need have I of demon servants?"

Crap.

She thought quickly. What could he possibly need? She could think of nothing the Alpha would need! "The King of Hell will send more."

He saw his weight shift. Ah. Maybe that was enough. Just the information could be useful to him. Perhaps he would let her go.

"Perhaps I should send a message to the King of Hell as I sent a message to the humans." He mused.

Crap.

"What message shall I impart to him, Lord" She was impressed that her voice managed to not break or waver. She looked into the Alpha's face. He grinned viciously.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

****SPN SPN SPN SPN *****

Ben woke to sunlight streaming through the east-facing window of his room. He pulled down the blankets and comforter with a stretch of his arms. The snap of cold in the night chilled the air in his room freezing his arms and he pulled them quickly back into the warmth of the covering. He didn't relish the thought of getting out from the warm cocoon. He groaned though, as he realized he needed to use the bathroom. He fidgeted under the covers. He squeezed his eyes tightly. Maybe the sensation would lessen and he could go back to sleep. Nope. Not gone yet…. Nope, not yet… Damn.

He threw the covers off and he bolted to the bathroom. He shifted from foot to foot shivering in the cold morning chill. When he was finished, he quickly washed his hands and ran to jump back into bed, covering himself in blankets once more. He shivered violently and rubbed his extremities to warm them. When he finally gained control over himself, he poked his head out and he could smell coffee and pancakes. He sighed to himself. He wondered if breakfast was incentive enough to leave the warmth and comfort of the bed.

Apparently, Matt arrived during the night and was sitting in the kitchen when Ben walked out of his small room. His mom and Matt were sitting close together and she had a smile on her face. Ben had to admit that she was happy with Matt, but that didn't mean Ben was buying it. He didn't want to make his mother unhappy but he just didn't want this guy invading his family.

"Hey, Sport." Matt greeted Ben. Ben threw a tense and inauthentic smile at Matt. Matt's own smile didn't diminish even slightly. Lisa, however, sent a warning glare that told Ben he had better play nice. Ben turned his back on the couple and served himself some pancakes.

As he was filling his plate with breakfast foods, he heard the adults talking over the plan for the day. A hike up the mountain sounded so fun… He wondered if he could talk his mom into leaving him behind. He could beg off due to headache, stomachache or muscle cramps. He turned to look at his mom and her boyfriend and sat down nearby. He listened to them for a while. Watching them make dewey eyes at each other really was making him nauseous. He pushed the pancakes away.

"Mom, I feel sick." He complained. "Maybe, I can stay here while you go on that hike?"

Apparently, Mom wasn't buying the excuse. She narrowed her eyes at him shrewdly. Nope, definitely not buying it.

They were hiking up the mountain when they saw the rangers and heard the static voices over a radio. There were off-road vehicles with Forestry colors and banners on the sides. Ben looked with curiosity to see what was happening on the other side of the yellow tape.

Lisa and Matt were speaking to a park ranger while Ben lurked around the perimeter. He peered over the tape and saw the forestry officials following closely behind a paramedic wheeling a stretcher through the woods to the forestry vehicle. The stretcher had a person shaped bag tethered there. He knew at what was he was looking, and he felt his heart rate escalate. He looked in the trees and saw great swaths of glistening reddish-black dripping from their boughs. He shivered and turned away to see a burly ranger approaching him. He looked up at the uniformed man with wide-eyed apprehension.

"Young man, you need to move on back to your family." He said as he maneuvered his large form to block Ben's vantage of the gruesome crime scene.

"What happened?" Ben choked out in a hoarse whisper.

The big man's hardened expression softened. "Son, you don't want to know." He herded Ben back to where Lisa and Matt stood. Lisa put her arm over his shoulder and leaned her head into him. Ben was able to feel slight tremors through the contact. She looked up at Matt and drew her son closer.

"Let's head back down" Matt's deep voice murmured. Matt moved ahead of Ben and Lisa toward the trailhead. Lisa pulled Ben closer and held him with her arm across his shoulders.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** This is a fiction by a foolish little dabbler who doesn't make money or receive accolades for anything Supernatural which actually belongs to CW and Kripke Enterprises and Scrapmetal. I don't have anything close to that kind of talent! HA! Spoilers up to and including Season 6. Some language. No slash or sexual content.

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews, favs and alerts. I love hearing from ya! I love it when my phone alerts me to a new e-mail and it says that one of you fabulous fanfic aficionados has pressed the little box saying that you want to have future chaps of my humble offering sent to you. Oooo! It's like Christmas! In May/June… Okay… So, I'm a nerd. Sue me. Only don't cuz I have no money… re: See above disclaimer.

**Chapter Four**

Sam and Dean Winchester walked into an office on the corner of Main and Broadway in the rinky-dink Colorado town with exactly two major streets—Main and Broadway. The blue and green sign above the office announced in swirly stylized font that the offices belonged to Mountain Paradise Land and Realty. There were many signs around the glass window front that advertised other businesses in the red brick building. The travel agency, a rental office, the local history library and a divorce attorney all shared the building.

A blonde haired woman with a surly expression plastered on her face sat at the desk and was speaking on the phone as the brothers approached. She held up her hand as she spoke to the caller.

"Yes, I know… but our official statement is that we have no comment… You'll have to call and speak to Mr. Colb… Because, he's the one who's able to say if we have a comment or not… Yeah, well… good luck with that." She slammed the receiver down onto the old style rotary dial telephone. "Jerk."

She looked up at the men and her expression changed to a pleasant and welcoming smile. "May I help you, gentlemen."

"Well, I hope so… My name is Dean Hetfield and this is my associate, Samuel Burton. We have a client interested in purchasing large tracks of land for a resort and…"

The woman behind the desk held up her hand to stop Dean from continuing. "Hold up, Cowboy. I don't really need to know all that. I just answer the phone and ask people to wait for the boss… look, Mr. Colb should be here in the next hour or so and you can tell him. Would you care to take a seat?" She grinned impishly up at Dean.

Dean smiled at her in disbelief for a moment and the grin disappeared from his face. "Do you folks do much business?"

The woman shrugged indifferently. "Anh." She said. Her green eyes sparkled at him with mischief and attitude. He waited as she picked up the ringing telephone. "Mountain Paradise…." Her eyes continued to watch Dean, holding his gaze. "Yes, I know, Marge… but he's not here yet. No, and he's got clients in his office right now so… Yes, I told you before I'd have him call… Okay."

Dean thought about the information he just gleaned from the brief one-sided conversation. "Excuse me…" He asked the woman when she hung up the phone.

The woman was in her late thirties, but she was fit and her personality shone through. She had spunk! "My name is Hanna…"

Dean's eyes widened at her tone and flirtatious flip of honey blonde hair, and then he turned on the patented Winchester charm. "Right. Hanna. Mr. Colb is late in today… is he late often?"

Hanna leaned back into her chair and eyed him up and down appraisingly, still with a grin on her face. "Well... he's the boss, you know. He can come in whenever he feels like it…" She stopped to consider his question. "He usually comes in earlier, though. You know, with the market the way it's been in the last several years, he hustles… he's all about the work…"

"Does he have a mobile phone you can call or…" Dean asks.

Her smile fades and she gets a kind of faraway look on her face. "I called it several times this morning."

"No answer?" Dean asks quietly.

Hanna shook her head.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Dean asked.

"I saw him Wednesday… He told me he was closing up for the night. Yesterday, he was out of the office all day. He had some properties he needed to show and then check on…" Hanna looked over at the computer screen at a calendar. She seemed to look at Dean again, this time suspiciously. "I think you should take a seat and wait for Mr. Colb, Mr. Hetfield… I'm not certain I should be sharing any of this information with clients."

Dean pulled away from the counter and looked over at Sam. "You know, that's okay, Hanna. I was just trying t pass the time, but I think we should go to the diner across the street. Will you let Mr. Colb know we're there?" He said.

Hanna managed to produce an almost believable smile for Dean as she told him she would and the brothers left the office.

"Well, she's covering up something…" Dean reported to Sam as they made their way across the street.

"Maybe she was being honest, Dean. She's right you know. She shouldn't share that kind of stuff with clients."

"Yeah, maybe. I wonder what properties Mr. Colb was checking on…" Dean glanced back at the office window and could see Hanna on the phone once more. "Maybe I should go ask her about local lore and stuff?"

Sam grinned but said nothing. He wondered if Dean thought she was a potential source or if it was something more lascivious. Dean had done worse but Sam didn't want to think about his brother and his sexual conquests.

They slid into a booth as the hostess handed them menus. Sam was considering the choices for breakfast when he looked up to see his brother looking out the window. His skin had paled slightly and his green eyes were wide.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Dean didn't answer right away. He schooled his expression and turned to regard the laminated tri-fold menu. "Nothing…" he murmured. "I just thought I saw someone I knew…" Dean looked out the window again and stared at the couple and the young boy in the CRV as it waited at the light. Dean put the menu down and pushed it away from him. When the waitress approached the two brothers and asked for their orders, Dean requested coffee and nothing else. Sam knew if Dean wasn't hungry, something was wrong… again. Damn.

SPN*SPN*SPN*SPN*SPN*SPN*

Seth was chasing the little Demon down through evergreens and shrubs. He could hear her raspy panting breaths and he rejoiced in her distress. He had allowed her to gain distance from him. It was good sport to him. But, he knew she was coming to his enchanted perimeter and would have to end this particular chase short… and soon. Otherwise, she would be able to escape her vessel and flee in a gaseous form.

He knew he was faster than she was in the human form she was possessing. The little demon, though, was incredibly tricky. He would rush ahead in the direction he anticipated she would go only to find that she had doubled-back and flanked him, changing direction. He growled in frustration. He could sense humans on the outside of the magical barriers in the direction she was now fleeing. He poured on the speed.

She crossed the barrier a little east of the gathering group of humans. Seth growled. He shouldn't have crucified the businessmen so close to his territory. He swore as he crossed the barrier and headed down the mountain following the demon. She still remained in her human form…

He stopped in his tracks. Why did she stay in the human form? Maybe this wasn't a vessel but her actual form? He started jogging again in the direction he felt her presence pulling him. What in the Good Earth was this demon doing? What was her end game? He was approaching a road. He slowed and peered through the tree-line down to the dirt track. He saw a hint of movement at the edge across the road and began to move in that direction. He made eye contact with the demon and she grinned. She grinned…

He looked both directions on the one-lane path. There was no traffic this high up the hill, this far back in the forest. This wasn't a true road, but a fire road and people used it with the correct permission and permits. He didn't care about permits and badges. But, he did want that demon. He took up the chase once more. They dodged through the dense growth and sprinted around and through thick evergreen trunks. He could hear her laughing ahead. She was toying with him.

He slowed his progress as they approached another fire track. He had managed to survive nearly a millennia, since the naming of things, since the Garden on Earth. He wasn't easily fooled and he was a warrior… despite what those human stories said about him. They had some really interesting notions about him and his. He scoffed at the very thought. He looked around for the demon. He didn't see her, but he could sense her and hear her. He walked down the mountain and closer to the fire road. He closed his eyes. Where are you?

He was having trouble locating her. There was something interfering with his ability to determine her location. He stepped closer to the road. He knew she was headed this way…but, maybe she doubled-back again. He turned to face back up the hill and tried to adjust his footing on the slanted slope. He took several steps until his foot leveled to lay flat on the road. He closed his eyes again, trying to locate her. He backed up a step and that was when he heard it. The sound of skidding car tires on slippery dirt. Then, the car hit him.

*SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN***

Crowley was annoyed. He had met with the Queen of the Seelie weeks ago and she still hadn't given him the information he required. At first, he thought increasing the percentage on the tithe due him would gain him the information he wanted, but who knew what was motivating to a fairy. They were enigmatic as that friggen angel.

The biggest downfall he noted since becoming the "Big Cheese" was his current accommodations. As a crossroads demon, he lived in a mansion and had demon servants. He didn't have any desires that weren't fulfilled and every day was more a game than trouble. Now, he was King of friggen Hell and he lived in a basement of an abandoned prison and he had more headaches than he could have ever imagined. And! And he had to walk a tightrope to keep a certain Angel of the Lord in his pocket. He knew that it was a dangerous game, keeping Castiel as a pet. He just needed to string him along, stroke his vanity, and play nice. He would get a major pay day if he could keep Castiel in line and pop the top on Purgatory.

He was carving into an Alpha when the little demon was brought into his basement lab. She stood feet away surrounded by demon henchmen as she waited his pleasure. He continued to carve and listened to the music blasting from the cheap radio on a shelf above the torture implements. He looked up at the little demon from time to time. She held a smirk on her face. He thought the smug look would disappear as he made her wait but it never did. He turned to her.

"Well?"

She sauntered toward him slowly, her lips tilted upward in an arrogant smile and her brown eyes lidded seductively. She didn't know he was immune to those particular charms. He was, however, intrigued as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, her voice husky.

"I know where your Alpha is." She declared.

He pulled back away from her so he was peering into her smiling face. She nearly purred with satisfaction as his eyes narrowed and then he grinned.

"You're my new favorite demon." He whispered.

TBC

***SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN*****

Any guesses yet? Sorry it is so short. I will try to update again before Friday.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing and the playground that I currently occupy is filled with the mad daydreams of a deluded and fractured mind. Someday, I'll find the counter-spell… but, for now, I simply play with other people's creations. Season 6 spoilage, some language (though not really in this chapter).

**A/N:** Hopefully, I can manage to kill some of these blasted plot bunnies… wait, no… not bunnies… TRIBBLES! Oh, wait! Not Tribbles… They are plot-GREMLINS! I think my Hubby isn't helping. He feeds the damn things after midnight and just like a freakin' Mugwauy, they mutate into something much more nefarious! They take over and start torturing me with other stories before I can safely put this one out! Freakin' PLOT-GREMLINS!

**Chapter Five**

He perceived the gravel under his cheek and a pain in his side. It was the first thing he noticed. And then, he could sense the humans nearby. He was able to hear their high-pitched nonsense. Seth opened his eyes to a blurry threesome in his field of vision. He slowly pulled his arm from under his body and placed his hand on the red dirt near his shoulder. He blinked repeatedly and growled deep in his chest as he rolled himself onto his back. He began to rise up to a sitting position when a delicately boned hand pushed gently on his chest. He scoffed at such a _human_ presumption. He grabbed the wrist and heard a yelp of pain from the woman to whom it belonged. He narrowed his eyes and continued to voice his displeasure with growls. He heard a deeper voice exclaim in outrage and he knew the man's feeble hands were grasping Seth's as it maintained a vice-like grip on the woman's wrist. He raised considerable bulk up on an elbow, swiveled his head to stare directly at the human male, and blinked to clear his vision. Seth sneered derisively at the humans.

"Let her go!" a strident young voice demanded.

Seth gasped in surprise. His eyes went directly to the young man standing over him. The boy stood fearless before him. This sweet, baby-faced boy with big expressive brown eyes stared Seth down. Seth growled again in defiance as he felt a surge of something in his mind. He couldn't resist complying. His grip began to loosen. He was astonished and disturbed by his lack of control over his own intentions. It must have shown on his face because the young man re-iterated his demand in a milder but no less commanding voice.

Seth struggled to wipe the compulsion from his mind, to regain control of his own inclinations. He found that he was unable to do so and released the woman while continuing his concentration on the young man. The boy seemed astonished that the giant man would comply with his demand, his youthful eyes wide as saucers.

The woman began explaining calmly that he should remain where he was to prevent injuries. Seth scoffed at this idea. He rose up to stand, towering over the humans at nearly seven foot in height, and leaned his hand on the hood of the car. His head swiveled to regard the boy. He knew why he was compelled to comply with the boy's directions now. Seth's mind was becoming clear and focused. He just couldn't believe that a young man his age in _this_ country could be pure, chaste and celibate! Seth sighed deeply. What the hell is the boy doing in the back country Colorado forest at this time? And where the hell did the demon go?

Seth tried to combat the compulsion to ask the boy what he would demand of him. He ignored the weak vocalizations of the woman and her mate. His silver-grey eyes tracked the movements of the boy. This appeared unnerving to the youth. He didn't appear frightened, just perplexed.

The woman continued to babble at Seth. He jeered at her in fierce defiance. When the boy stepped forward to step in front of Seth, the woman grabbed for the boy. Seth leaned forward with his body tense, ready to fight the mother off of the child. The boy held his hand up to his mother in a placating gesture Seth couldn't quite decipher. A smirk appeared on the boy's lips. Seth narrowed his eyes.

"Get in the car like my mom asked you to." He commanded quietly.

Seth tried to resist the compulsion. He fought so hard, his body wavered and sweat beaded on his forehead. Ultimately, it was a waste of energy and time. He walked to the side of the car and watched- observed the mechanics as the man opened the car door in front of him. Seth mimicked the operation and slid his massive form to sit behind the dark-skinned man. The boy did likewise from the other side of the vehicle.

Ben regarded the giant folded uncomfortably in the seat next to him. "What were you doing out on the road anyway?" Ben asked his fellow passenger in a hushed voice barely discernible over the music from the radio. He listened to his mother and Matt as they discussed the route to the nearest hospital.

"I was chasing a demon." Seth replied simply, eyes forward and he shifted awkwardly to adjust his long legs to fit more comfortably.

Ben paled and looked up to see that neither Lisa nor Matt had heard the giant's response. "A demon?" Ben whispered harshly.

Seth nodded and gave up on becoming comfortable. He placed his knees into the back of Matt's seat and stared straight out the windshield stoically.

"Mom," Ben said finally, "I think we may need to call a friend of ours about this guy 'cause he definitely falls into the category of weird."

Lisa understood what Ben was saying. She grimaced and her eyes switched from Ben and the giant to Matt. She was reluctant to say anything about it while Matt was privy to the conversation. She rubbed her wrist absently as she considered the implications. She felt herself nodding but swallowed the lump in her throat. She had hoped to make the break fairly clean, but it seemed that her life was not destined to fall within the realm of normal any more since her acquaintance with one Dean Winchester.

****SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN*****SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN******

He couldn't shake the thought that he might have seen Lisa and Ben in that CRV. It was ridiculous, of course. The Braedens were in Michigan. Dean pulled his cell from his pocket and scrolled down the contacts list to where Lisa's number _used_ to be located. He had deleted the contact a while back, but he found the missing name more than disturbing. He slid the phone closed with a huff and continued to look out the window. _Yeah… that boat had sailed_. He needed to get his head out of the past and focus on the present.

The day was getting late and Sam was content to do his research there in the diner, tip-tapping away on the keyboard of his laptop. Free Wi-Fi and Sam had the dedicated focus of a revenant. Dean had been flipping through the file in front of him with articles, maps and pictures to try and piece together a pattern. Eventually, he'd had enough looking through the same information and looked at his watch. Crap. It was nearly five hours after initially arriving at the realty office.

"I'm going to go see what's up with that Hanna chick and see if her boss has checked in yet." Dean informed his brother as he rose from the booth.

Sam looked at Dean with an expression mixed of surprise and fatigue as he nodded to his brother. Clearly, Sam hadn't noticed how long they had been working there either. Sam blinked his eyes and stretched and he watched his brother leave the diner.

Dean walked across the street to the realty office once more. Hanna was sitting in her customary seat and she was again making apologies and excuses for her employer. She looked up as Dean entered the office with tired eyes and harried expression. She thinned her lips in response to either something said on the other end of the phone line or in response to seeing Dean again. After Hanna hung up the phone, Dean grinned brightly for her and she at least attempted to reciprocate.

"Mr. Hatfield. I am so sorry that Mr. Colb hasn't come in yet. Maybe, I can have him call when he gets back from… wherever the hell he got to."

"Hetfield." Dean said.

Hanna's face scrunched in confusion. "Pardon me?"

"My name is Hetfield, not Hatfield… but, you can call me Dean." He smiled with a glint of mischief in his eye.

Confusion cleared and her cheeks managed to color slightly. "Ah, sorry about that… uh, Dean." She pinched the bridge of her nose, slumping down between her shoulders. Suddenly, she stood up.

"Well," she began brightly in contrast to her body language a moment ago, "since Mr. Colb decided to take the day off without checking in…" She grabbed her purse and coat and came around the island counter to stand in front of Dean. "Then, I am the boss today, right? And I say that as a loyal and dedicated employee, I should be rewarded for all the crap I put up with today with early release. What do you say, Dean? Care to join me?" She perked up as she nearly bounced to the front door and turned the sign to "closed". Dean's eyebrows rose into his hairline and he might have taken her up on her offer except…

He put one of his most regretful expressions on his face and declined. Hanna pouted prettily, but recovered as the two left the office and she locked the door. "Oh, well. Your loss, Sexy." She flashed him dimples and a wide, white-toothed grin. She turned away from Dean and damn-near skipped down the street. Her stride belied the cranky demeanor she had just recently demonstrated. Dean watched her go and just chuckled to himself as he turned to leave across the street to where he slid into the Impala.

"What happened with that Colb guy?" Sam asked without preamble when Dean joined his brother in the car.

"He never showed. And that perky Hanna chick just decided she had enough and left for the day…" He gave his younger brother a sidelong glance that bespoke an idea involving a criminal act. "Awfully thoughtful of her to leave the office with the computer on and all, don't you think?"

Sam looked at him in disbelief. "She left the computer on?"

Dean smiled wickedly. "Well, we wouldn't want her to get into trouble or anything. Maybe we should help her out for all her thoughtfulness and generous help today? You know, go in and turn the thing off for her. I mean, she's had a rough day. Wouldn't want to burden her with how leaving things on contributes to depletion of the o-zone layer or something, right?"

Sam nodded solemnly and agreed. "It's really our civic duty to help her help the planet."

Dean smiled and nodded in agreement.

Once inside the office, Sam sat at the computer while Dean perused the files in the file cabinet.

"There's nothing here, Dean…" Sam sighed after an hour of searching files. "There are client files in here and pictures of property listings. There is also quite a stash of footwear searches in the internet history, but I'm guessing Hanna usually has quite a bit of free time on her hands…"

"I've got bupkis here, too" Dean closed the file cabinet drawer with a loud slam.

Dean was walking toward his brother when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the familiar area code of an unfamiliar phone number. He thumbed the button to talk and sat quietly waiting for the caller to speak.

"Dean?" a young voice said, calm and clear.

Dean scrunched his brow in confusion. "Ben?" Dean looked at his brother as Sam rose from the computer desk. "What's going on? Are you… Is your mom okay?"

"Yeah, Dean. She's here, but we need your help."

******SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN*****

"You know whose kid that is, don't you?" Crowley asked as he wiped his face in frustration.

"Who cares?" The demoness responded. "He's an innocent. You know the lore. Only an innocent can command _him_. _He's_ going to come along with us like a tiny puppy. We just have to bring the kid along, too." She shrugged, seemed so smug and self-assured. Crowley contemplated lobbing her head off with a butter knife… slowly.

"Yes, well... that would be great except that kid is Dean Fricken Winchester's… not-kid. That damned hunter will throw a monkey wrench into this whole…" Crowley hesitated just as his his rant was becming heated and his features lit up as an epiphany crossed his mind. The demoness observed the transformation and she began to fidget restlessly with a smile growing on her face. Her eyes widened and gleamed with excitement and glee, the whites and irises completely overtaken with black.

"Can we go and get the kid, now?" she asked hopefully. Crowley could almost see the drool. He patted her head affectionately.

"Not yet, Pet." He said. "Follow them and I will find you in a bit. I have some… details to work out first."

The demoness looked up again to find her King had disappeared. Her eyes darted to the giant silver-haired Alpha and the young, scrumptious little boy. Her eyes narrowed and her heart rate sped up.

The chase!

She would obey her King's command, of course. She wondered if, perhaps, her King would give to her the delicious looking boy as a reward once he and his angel unlocked the secrets to Purgatory. Oh, the fun she would have in corrupting and defiling an Innocent. The power from a child like this one, Winchester or not, would give her an edge in the struggle against her own competition. That was the crux of Hell for demons. The constant lobby for power and positioning to gain influence with those who were in-power was tiring and depleting. But, if she could get her hands on an honest-to-Hades Innocent! Oh, she might be able to climb up several rungs of that ladder. She moved off as the car continued to head in the direction of town.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing and the playground that I currently occupy is filled with the mad daydreams of a deluded and fractured mind. Someday, I'll find the counter-spell… but, for now, I simply play with other people's creations. Season 6 spoilage, some language.

**A/N:** Freakin' PLOT-GREMLINS! Out damn Spike!

**Chapter 6**

Titania, Queen of the Seelie Fae, was seated in her golden wood throne in the middle of a meadow amongst her faeries. The centaurs and satyrs were martialling the fierce warriors at arms of the queen. Pixies and brownies gathered around her in her service, bringing dispatches from her generals, filling her goblet with faewine, and attending to her every whim. Lithe archers gathered shafts of magical arrows, tall tree-like creatures walked in and among warrior ranks with caches of weapons, great grey-green war dogs in silvery barding paced alongside ornately armored warriors. All beings in the glade were obviously making ready for war.

A thunderous disturbance at one end of the meadow drew the attention and grumbled hissing response from her subjects. Titania turned her golden eyes to the disturbance and several of her honor guard gathered more tightly in front of their queen. A swift movement resembling a golden fireball maneuvered amongst the legs of the warriors headed straight toward her throne. She tracked the impossibly fast movement and, as the slender form moved closer to the queen's throne, it seemed to slow. The queen narrowed her eyes as an impossibly tall cat moved forward on graceful paws. The height of the cat's head reached the hips of the honor guard captain as she tilted her head up to regard him with intelligent green eyes. She pulled a slim tube from a harness on her back and deposited it into the captain's outstretched and waiting hand. The captain proceeded to his queen to deliver the message tube. The Queen of the Fae read through the message quickly. She looked at the Cath sidhe, making eye contact and spoke.

"Tell my warriors to let the emissary of my sister safe passage to meet with me."

There was an audible gasp, but the Cath sidhe immediately moved at the impossible speed back from whence she came to deliver the message. The subjects of the queen parted before the emissary to allow the small entourage access to the swiftest route. The ugly creatures from the bain came forward as they protected the emissary. The grotesque creature in front stepped aside to allow a woman with silvery white hair and pale skin to walk forward. Her eyes were black with no whites and purple where her pupils would have been. Her pallor was accentuated by the deep purple gown she wore over her tall, slender form. Her skin under her eyes seemed to be stained with tears of purple ichor. She had ruined leathery wings growing from her shoulder blades that spread uncomfortably from time to time. For all that marred her appearance with scars of the insane, she was hauntingly beautiful.

"Greetings from the Unseelie Court." The emissary spoke in a high reedy voice as she bowed deeply, her ebony and violet eyes never strayed from the queen. "Your sister- _my_ queen- has sent me to extend her felicitations and to tell you that she is planning to send to you a number of the Host answering to her. She will be unable to take the field with you, however. She is sure you will understand."

Titania did understand. Her sister had a tremendous advantage against her enemies. Her very presence would make her enemies writhe on the floor, chewing their own armor in madness. The downside of having that advantage in an allied army is that it often caused madness in her ally's warriors.

No. Titania would not miss Mab's presence on the field.

They would be able to hold their realm against the King of Hell should he attempt to invade. They had been able to thwart invasions before. The fae were most commonly seen as whimsical and carefree; but, in reality, they were fierce warriors. When Lucifer raised his forces to defy their father, God had locked the angels out of heaven. The angels who followed Lucifer fell into Hell, but the angels who had fallen and taken no side in the conflict went beyond the veil into the Fae. Titania looked at the fiercest of her armored warriors. They were the Nephilim- As was this pale emissary. Unlike Titania and Mab who were among the original Fallen, they were half-born angels with a human parent. Titania sighed and looked at the emissary of Queen Mab. She was possibly the most frightening looking of the Mad Queen's Nephilim. Titania wondered what had tempted her sister to create such a monstrosity.

Titania ordered hospitality extended to the emissary and her entourage and she went back to her preparations of war. Not for the first time, she wished she had Seth with her. He told her daughter that he wouldn't come. He can't be still holding grudges… or maybe he can. She grimaced. Perhaps she should send him a peace offering. She would consider it. Having him in this conflict would only help the end result. His magic is not hindered by Earth, Heaven or Hell. The magic of angels and demons have no effect on him. He is strong and relentless. She sighed again. She definitely needed to consider sending him something to aid reconciliation.

****SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN*****

The Impala rumbled up to the remote cabin. Dean paused as he placed the car in "park" and sat staring out the windshield. He could feel Sam's questioning and concerned gaze on him as he sat there. It was unnerving as hell. He shot his younger sibling a glance that told him clearly not to ask. Sam just huffed in resignation. Dean couldn't be introspective right now. He just couldn't. It was painful enough that he had been called so soon after Lisa told him to leave the family alone, so soon after being told that she was moving on, so soon after Ben had accused him of walking out on his family. This whole situation sucked. What sucked worse than having to roll up to a vacation cabin in the middle of nowhere Colorado to help his former girlfriend and her kid, was the fact that he should have known Fate wasn't done with him yet, the bitch. And now he was doing it. He was being introspective. Shit.

"It's just another job." He whispered to himself in the silence of the Impala. He didn't believe it and from the look on his brother's face, neither did Sam.

As they approached the cabin, Ben emerged through the front door wearing an odd expression and followed by a towering giant of a man. Dean slowed his approach and Sam tensed behind him. The guy was friggen huge! He was taller than Samsquatch and he thought his brother was freaking enormous. Ben's welcoming smile was strained.

"Hey, Dean." He said shortly.

"Ben." Dean replied while continuing to eye the behemoth behind the boy. Seth stared menacingly at the two hunters and he had no compunction about appearing hostile. "You going to introduce me to your new friend?"

Ben scoffed and turned. "Seth, say hi to Sam and Dean."

Seth seemed to fight the command briefly, but sighed in resignation. "Hello Sam and Dean." He intoned harshly.

Ben turned back to the hunters with a wide grin.

"Huh." Sam scrutinized the giant and seemed to be putting things in categories in his head. Dean recognized the signs of nerdgasm. He looked up at the cabin and then back to Ben.

"Uh… do you think it would be better to do this out here, or…?" Dean felt like he would do anything to not have to face Lisa yet- Particularly if Lisa was in there with the new boyfriend. Ben was nodding.

"Seth doesn't like enclosed spaces too much. It might be better out here. We could walk?" Ben was taking charge. He'd grown in just a few months since Dean last saw the boy. The hunter spent a moment wondering what change would have accounted for the shift.

Seth remained silent during the exchange. He loomed menacingly but didn't make an attempt to interject or act more than passive intimidation.

"So… Seth?" Dean began. Seth shifted his silver grey eyes to bore into Dean. "How'd you two kids meet?" Dean was trying to be flippant and sarcastic, but he succeeded in being annoying and insulting. Seth sneered at the shorter hunter and growled.

Ben looked up at the man towering over them. Seth rolled his eyes upward and clenched his jaw. "Lisa hit me with her car." He said finally. They stopped walking as Dean looked up at Seth.

"She hit you with… how hard?" Dean asked.

Seth shrugged.

"We were going fast enough that he dented the front bumper." Ben supplied. "Mom was freaking out. She thought she killed him, but then he…" Ben bit his lip and looked up at Seth. Seth didn't look ashamed or in any way contrite.

"He what, Ben?" Ben shook his head.

Dean transferred his gaze to Seth. Seth crooked an eyebrow but remained passive. "I choked Lisa."

Dean felt his blood pressure rise. Ben moved in between Dean and the giant. "Dean…" Ben placed his hands in front of Dean to stop his charge, in appeasement. Dean had to swallow the rage he felt suddenly building up inside him. It didn't help that Seth didn't appear moved, to care at all about the imminent threat of Winchester wrath. Dean inhaled and exhaled forcefully in heat and anger as he paced back and forth in front of Ben and his abnormally large shadow, his eyes focused entirely on the stoic silver giant in front of him, pupils wide and filled with indignation. Seth continued to regard Dean as if he were less than worthy of his notice. "Dean!" Ben yelled as a slap to his face. Sam reached to detain his brother before he could lunge at Seth. Sam walked Dean away from the two, speaking calmly but rapidly.

"That went well."Ben stated quietly with accusatory tone toward Seth. Seth shrugged and looked away.

It took all the coaxing and placating tones of his brother to get Dean to return cool-headed to the case. Ultimately, it was Lisa that managed to calm him down. She came out when she heard Ben's strident yell of Dean's name. Dean walked purposefully over to her and without asking permission or begging her pardon took her face carefully but firmly in his hands to inspect her neck. There were reddish marks streaking horizontally across the smooth surface of her skin, but there was no sign of bruising or deeper injury. When she informed him that she was fine, soft brown eyes filled with amusement and sadness mixed together that he was so vehement in his concern for her well-being. His heart rate returned to an approximation of normal and his restless pacing abated.

After Lisa returned to the cabin, Dean and Sam sat with Seth and Ben at a picnic bench in the yard. Well, they sat with Ben, anyway. Seth refused to sit and Ben didn't care enough to order her to do so.

"So, what exactly is your story?" Sam asked Seth. Seth continued to scan the tree-line occasionally and remained quiet. Ben rolled his eyes and stood on the bench to get eye level with the giant. "Seth. Answer the questions honestly that Dean and Sam ask."

Seth narrowed his eyes at the young human and clenched his entire body. He seemed to be engaged in a fight of wills with himself, sweat standing on his brow, before he nodded once and turned to regard Sam.

"Exactly which part of my story was of the most interest?" Seth asked with his low, deep voice.

"Well, for starters," interjected Dean, "just what the hell are you?"

The corner of Seth's mouth began to turn up and his silver eyes were hooded as he contemplated the hunter. He chuckled deep in his chest, a rumbling bass sound that the others could almost feel. "I am the first and the last of my kind." He said. It was true as far as it went.

"You're an Alpha…" Sam stated. "Dean…"

"What '_kind_' is that, exactly?" Dean spat the question.

Seth regarded Dean solely. He sighed then, no trace of laughter or amusement in his voice or demeanor. "I am the first and last Re'em. And not some stupid bull or deer. Humans have such limited speech."

Sam seemed to be searching his brain's data storage for the translation. Dean waited, staring at Sam as his brother concentrated. Seth also turned to regard the tall human. There seemed to be some recognition dawning in Sam's expression.

"What's a re'em?" Ben asked. Seth remained silent but began to grin as Sam's face began to light with understanding.

"A Re'em," Sam began in the tone teachers get when instructing students, "is a biblical word… Hebrew… refers to an animal in a couple of places... Job, Deuteronomy, I think, Psalms… Seth's right, the most common translation is a kind of cattle, but there is another translation that is often used." Sam looked up at the silver eyed giant. Seth stifled a grin but watched the human as he nodded.

"Well… Do I have to wait for the Time Life version or are you going to spit it out?"

"Dude…" Sam started laughing out loud. Seth turned his gaze away from the humans and back to the tree-line. Sam's eyes went wide and he redoubled in laughter as he considered Ben. Both Ben and Dean were less amused. They were displaying identical looks of annoyance.

"Is he always this way?" Ben inquired.

"He thinks it proves how clever he is that he gets inside jokes. But, he's the only one on the inside… Dude, were you going to share with the rest of the class or were you going to need me to beat it out of you?" Dean threatened.

Sam managed to stop laughing and straighten his expression some, though he still had to quiet the intermittent chuckle that couldn't be contained before he explained himself to his brother and Ben. "Ben… are you… ehem, heh… are you a…virgin?" Sam managed to ask.

Ben blushed deeply and looked away from Dean in embarrassment.

"He'd better be." Dean muttered.

"He is." Seth confirmed. All eyes went to Seth who ignored them. Sam nodded knowingly, as if that confirmed his suspicion.

"The lore says that re'em can't be subdued with force… nothing can stop them. They are exceptionally strong, very magical and are able to stop entire armies." Sam looked at Seth. Seth finally looked back at the tall human. "There's even a story about one stopping Genghis Kahn from entering India." Seth nodded. "The only thing that can stop him is…" Sam stopped to stifle another series of coughing laughter. "The only thing that can stop him is a beautiful maiden." Seth growled and snorted at Sam.

"No, the only thing that can control me is one who is pure, celibate and chaste. I do not care for the ridicule you assert on Ben and, by extension, me." Seth turned back to his scrutiny of the woods surrounding the cabin.

"Hey," Sam suddenly shouted enthusiastically. "Aren't you supposed to have a horn and be…" Sam gestured and pawed at the ground with his foot.

Seth made a disgusted guttural sound, but then he brandished a weapon. It was shiny black with myriad colors slick like oil rainbows on its surface shifting and pulsing as it spiraled to a sharp point. It was the size of a short sword, slightly smaller than a katana. It wasn't a blade but was slender and seemed to pulse. Red, yellow and green swirls of energy pulsed up the spirals and crackled at the tip. Ben's eyes went wide with awe.

"How do you know so much about them, Sam?" Dean asked.

"Re'em has a name _we_ are more familiar with." Sam explained with a smile still plastered to his face. "They are called Unicorns."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** This is a fiction by a foolish little dabbler who doesn't make money or receive accolades for anything Supernatural which actually belong to CW/ Kripke Enterprises and Scrap metal. Spoilers up to and including Season 6 (just short of the two finale episodes because I refuse to acknowledge them just yet- I'm still in denial). Some language. No slash or sexual content.

**A/N: **I have to thank (profusely) those of you who have contacted me, alerted/favorite! Oh, how I wished I could have PM'd you, but I am having difficulty accessing that particular feature *pout*.

Just know, dear readers, I hope you continue to gain enjoyment from my humble offering to you all. It makes it easier to whip my muse and crank out chaps when I know I have people who want to read it! *grin*

**Chapter 7**

Castiel waited for the King of Hell. He stood motionless in the torture chamber Crowley had set up in the basement of the abandoned building. The angel had been standing in the exact spot for hours and while he was capable of standing thusly for days, he was beginning to feel impatient. The fact that he was able to _feel_ impatient further irritated him. He knew the amplification in emotional sensitivity was a drawback of his continued habitation on Earth. The longer he remained here, and not in heaven, the more he would be susceptible to the increasingly irritating emotions.

He never minded before… before the Apocalypse. He shook his head slightly in an attempt to wipe away the pang of hurt and regret at the loss of companionship with the Winchesters. Castiel and the two brothers were like family prior to Sam taking Lucifer with him into the cage. He hadn't minded the occasional flare of emotions when he experienced them with Dean or with Sam. Even Bobby tolerated Castiel's infrequent demonstration of emotions. Dean, in fact, had encouraged Castiel's forays into the exploration into demonstrations of free will and emotional range. Now, though, it only served to reinforce what he'd lost.

Dean's final words to Castiel still cut deep. Dean's inability to understand the angel's plan to convert Heaven to the new way of things was most disturbing. Dean had shown Castiel the value of thinking for himself, of standing up for what he thought was correct, and for never relenting to those who would impose their will on him. When he managed to locate Purgatory, he would show Dean through his own actions how Castiel had been right to do what he did. Dean would finally understand that he was doing just what Dean had taught him, had encouraged him and led him to do. Castiel would be… what was it Dean had called him so long ago? Castiel would be the new Sherriff in Heaven- only better, more powerful, and right.

"Castiel…" the smooth and slightly nasal voice interrupted the angel's musings. "Have you been waiting long?"

The angel turned to face Crowley as the demon picked up an implement of pain and began to wipe a clean cloth over it, polishing the silver surface of it. The angel's expression was flat and unreadable while the demon regarded his ally with a smug sneer. "I have been waiting for hours, but that is of little import. What is of import, however, is that you tell me immediately what you have been trying to keep from me." Castiel intimidated as he crossed the empty space to stand very close to Crowley.

Crowley imitated a shocked expression without losing his smirk. "Why… whatever could you mean?" Crowley gasped.

Castiel narrowed his eyes at the smarmy demon and nearly growled in impatience. "I know you are hiding something from me. There is a building in your holding you have been warding against angelic presence. I will know what it is you are doing, Crowley."

Crowley went back to work shining his tools and smirked to himself. "It's nothing for you to worry your feathery little head about, darling. I have been immersed in a purely internal matter. Nothing to do with our arrangement." He shot a sidelong glance at the glowering angel. "Anyway, I have demons out scouring the countryside for the Alpha we know has the location of Purgatory." He kept his gaze on the angel as Castiel registered the information Crowley had just imparted. The bright blue eyes rounded quickly and targeted the demon. Crowley smiled. "That's right, Angel. We _know_ he's a GPS for Purgatory. There are some… touchy little details we need to deal with first… but, I think we can bring the bastard in by this time tomorrow."

"Then, you know where the creature is." Castiel inflected his voice making the comment a statement instead of a question, but the tilt of his head and the expression on his face told Crowley it was meant to elicit more information.

Crowley knew he couldn't put all the cards on the table just yet. There was a murky bit of logistics and he didn't want the angel to get his loyalty to the Winchesters in the way of the ultimate plan to obtain the souls in Purgatory. He would let information trickle out as the angel needed to know it. He was in the process of getting a containment area ready and didn't need the angel to walk in on the operation until things were already in motion. It was easier to beg pardon then ask permission. He nodded minutely and grinned openly at his companion. "We do… we just have to complete the containment for him. We can't just round him up and try to figure out something later."

"Hmmm." Said Castiel. _The demon is hiding something_. "Does he need angel wards to contain him?"

Crowley was taken aback by the question. He had hoped that Castiel wouldn't have figured that bit out for a while. He recovered quickly with a smooth lie. "We don't really know if angel wards will hold him, but we are going to throw the kitchen sink at him and see what sticks."

Castiel narrowed his eyes in confusion. Crowley huffed and rolled his eyes in response. _Friggen angels_. "It means we will make every known ward and maybe some we make up in order to contain the bastard and hope that it will hold when we stick him in the cage."

Understanding dawned visibly on Castiel's features. He turned to the table containing implements the demon had yet to clean. He lifted a silver weapon and regarded it closely. "I hope you do not plan to deceive me, Crowley." He spoke slowly and softly; that more than the words or the weapon in the angel's hand unnerved the demon. "I would hate to have to… renegotiate our contract." Castiel tilted his head menacingly and rolled his eyes toward the demon in a way that showed he would tolerate no misbehavior.

All humor dissipated instantly at the implied threat. Crowley evaluated the angel over several minutes and nodded understanding. He blinked after the motion to hear the winged departure. Crowley felt the blood rush back to his face and anger swelled his blood pressure. "Fucking angel would be the death of me if I were alive." He murmured to himself and bellowed for a demon to bring him something to carve up.

***SPN ***SPN***SPN *** SPN *** SPN ***

Dean had been pacing restlessly. Ben and Sam sat quietly discussing the range of commands that Seth was likely to follow. Dean shot covert glances at the two on the picnic table and to the re'em standing very nearby…. A unicorn. He scoffed cynically to himself and shook his head. He would never have believed it. Seth, for the most part remained stoically aloof to discussions about him unless the assumptions were glaringly incorrect. He corrected with brief, often monosyllabic, responses. He continued to scan the wooded area around them. He seemed to be standing sentinel. Dean looked again. Seth was standing sentinel. He was tense and alert. His eyes were shifting quickly around the tree line. Dean walked purposefully to the giant.

Despite Dean's own considerable height, Seth towered over him. Hell, he towered over Sam and _he_ was almost six and a half feet tall! Still, Dean walked up, toe to toe, and invaded the giant's personal space. The very serious and determined expression stopped Ben and Sam from their discussion as they turned to regard the hunter and re'em.

"Hey, Bucket Squad, what exactly are you watching for?" Dean asked harshly. Seth turned his vigilant gaze from the tree line to regard Dean. He remained neutrally silent. "You have been watching the trees for nearly an hour… you look like you're expecting trouble. So… are you?"

"Am I?" Seth asked sardonically. Dean was done playing around. He began to wind himself up. This was the closest thing to a real, normal family he's ever had and this Seth guy, unicorn or not, was endangering them with some secret. Ben jumped up off the table and sprinted to the two men. Sam tried to grab Ben's arm as he darted past, but Ben twisted and was out of his arm-reach quickly.

"Dean!" Ben exclaimed interceding between his surrogate father and the re'em. "Stop, please! What are you doing?"

Seth looked at the young man briefly. Dean wondered what the giant would do and the thought that Seth wasn't as compliant as he appeared began to worry him. When he saw the silver-haired creature move incrementally closer to the boy with his eyes never leaving the steely green-eyed hunter's face, Dean's heart raced and his muscles tensed; He could feel the adrenaline flow through him and his battle senses and reflexes ready to act. As Seth's massive hand began to rise in the direction of Ben, Dean pulled a gun from his waistband and aimed it at the giant. Seth's hand ceased its arc, but his eyes narrowed ominously.

"That won't do anything but piss me off." Seth commented quietly.

"Back away from him." Dean threatened. Seth hesitated and considered the hunter. He looked into the warm coffee-colored eyes of the boy between him and Dean. Sam was too far out of range to be any real assistance to his brother. Yes, Seth was impervious to the bullets in Dean's gun, but Ben wasn't. He didn't think Dean would miss, but Seth was unwilling to take the chance. It never occurred to him for a moment that if Dean did hit the boy, Seth would be free of Ben's influence and would be equally free to rip the two hunters apart. His growling remarks as to where he thought Dean could go (again) and how to get there (as if he didn't already have that route memorized) went largely unintelligible and disregarded by the two brothers.

Ben sighed a breath of relief as Seth began to back away and lower his hands submissively. Just as Seth began to relax his stance, Dean reached out his left hand and grabbed Ben, pulling the boy behind him, putting himself between the child and the re'em. Dean kept the barrel of the gun pointed at the giant. Seth kept his eyes focused on the green eyes of the hunter and not the silver barrel of the gun. Seth was still tense and ready for combat, but he made no attempt to move.

"Dean," Ben tried placating the man he thought of as a kind of father figure. "Seth won't hurt me…"

Dean knew he was probably over-reacting, but he needed to know what Seth was hiding. "Ben…" Dean warned. Ben pulled himself back and waited for Dean to do his thing. Dean recognized Ben's compliance and withdrawal letting Dean relax marginally and focus solely on Seth. "Okay, Mr. Ed… Let's talk about what you're watching for in the trees." Dean wasn't going to be diverted again. Seth kept his eyes on the hunter.

Behind Dean, Ben cleared his voice and stepped up to Dean's left elbow, staying behind the hunter. "Seth," Ben began in a firm, clear voice. "Tell Dean what he needs to know. Tell him the answer to his question." Seth visibly flinched and seemed to battle the compulsion again. He relented after only moments and answered breathlessly.

"There's a demon nearby." He panted. "I can feel it, but… I can't tell where it is."

Sam spun toward the trees pulling a shotgun from the duffel still sitting on the picnic table and held it ready. His eyes scanned the trees, his posture threatening and alert. Dean, too, flicked his eyes over trees and shrubs on the perimeter looking for any trace of demonic activity. Seth saw the change in attitude and attention. He adjusted his orientation from defensive against the hunter to offensive, hunting demon. He would find her and rip her head off. He knew now that she had led him away from his grove and toward the innocent boy with the idea of trapping him. It was a time-tested trap and he walked right into it. He turned his attention back to the boy, meeting his café eyes and asked the question with his own silver eyes. "I need your permission." He stated.

Ben flinched at the gruff and angry tone of the re'em. Ben nodded. "Find the demon." He ordered. Seth's mouth pulled into a rictus that was frightening. Seth rounded his attention to the line of trees and he turned and ran. Dean and Sam did double takes to watch the giant silver-haired creature streak past them.

"Huh." Dean exhaled brusquely. "I wonder if he'll be back."

Both hunters turned their attention to Ben who looked slightly pink with embarrassment at having not thought about that sooner. He shrugged sheepishly.

**A/N**: I am sorry it is such a very short chapter, but this is all I needed to do in this one.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: "Supernatural" is not mine. The guys, though they frequent my imagination on a regular basis, also don't belong to me. I make no money nor do I intend any kind of mischief with the use of character names, "Supernatural" multi-verse or themes. I only intend to kill the plot tribbles. There is some language, spoilage for seasons up to and including 6. No slash.

**A/N**: *Jumps up on a soap box*

Hear me, fellow Castians…

I was on a website directed from Twitter this weekend. "Letters to Castiel" is quite entertaining. I really don't want to think about CW, Sara, or Kripke doing nasty mean things to my favorite trench coat Angel. Is there a Cas Protective Services I can call? *pout* Ya… I get he is a peripheral character and the story has always been "Sam and Dean"(I don't really need more arguments from others to tell me to get over my loyalty to Cas), but I love the *air quote*peripheral characters *end air quote* of Team Free-will.

And now for something completely different…

No one tickles my funny bone like Lampito and if she was on the twitter, I'd follow her!

*Steps off soap box with a bow.*

**Chapter 8**

Seth set off at a sprint through the woods like a silver vapor trail through the sky. He smelled the demoness and knew she was nearby, had been with others of her kind- but, not anymore. He felt the fullness of his powers searching. He wouldn't let her out of his grasp once he had her. He would enjoy the snap of vertebrae in her neck when he had his massive hands on it to squeeze the life from her. He would trap her true essence in the vessel she had acquired and she would die… slowly. He felt the rage he hadn't truly allowed to invade his conscious for centuries. It was exhilarating. His silver-blue eyes were wide, pupils large allowing all the light, all the visual information to be absorbed. He hadn't had to fight off actual hunters in centuries, hadn't fought demons in longer. Seth thought part of his rage had been directed inward. He wasn't about to flog himself, however. He would take out his aggression, hate and rage on the demon and any other demon nearby. He'd love to take strips of skin off the humans as well, but he knew that was impossible while Ben continued to hold sway over his behavior.

Seth stopped in the middle of a small clearing surrounded by thick foliage-laden deciduous trees and shrubbery. He was miles from the humans and Ben. He sampled the air to find only traces of the demon presence.

"Here I am." He allowed irritation to color his voice as he called to her. "You have been watching from hiding, little one." He sneered as he turned 180 on the spot where he stood, scanning the undergrowth and tree branches above. "Come out and show me how you wish to serve me now."

"I don't think that would be prudent, Lord." A ghostly voice floated to him from all around. "I know how angry you are with me."

Seth chuckled in spite of himself. "Yes. That was a clever trick. How did you know an Innocent was going to be there just then, hm?" He called to her. He spun again in the other direction, more slowly this time, sampling the air and straining his ears, eyes darting in all directions looking for the slightest movement.

"I had been watching him for a while now. It is very difficult to find a true Innocent in this place." She sounded smug and sure of herself.

He agreed with her, nodding to himself. "So what is the plan, here?" He asked. He really wanted to know but he was also hoping to triangulate her location. "What use do you think I will be to you? You have to know that even with the Innocent, you can't kill me?"

She giggled. She actually _giggled_. The sound of it was eerie as it drifted in the sunlight that spotlighted in small beams through the tangle of the leafy canopy, the dust and pollen drifted like fairy dust in the light. His blood grew cool at the sound. His mind raced. _What was the plan?_ "You don't mean to kill me…" He whispered. Oh, gods. Ben.

He turned quickly and ran back in the direction of the cabin. The anger and hostility he felt toward the humans earlier forgotten, his mind blank with what could only be fear. He hadn't felt fear for centuries either. The only thing he could process was that the demons meant to harm the boy, or use the boy against him. He didn't stop to consider _all_ the possible motivations, just ran as fast as he could. His mind did however imagine scenarios that he would find when he returned to the boy. His heart raced and his adrenaline rushed in his ears. The trap set by the demoness had done the damage of capturing him, tethering him to the Innocent. There was a cage somewhere and a purpose to using the trap in the first place. He had to get back to the cabin and to the child. He only hoped the hunters were as good as Ben had said they were. He hoped the hunters would protect him until he could get there.

***SPNSPN***SPNSPN***SPNSPN***

The small group moved toward the cabin, stopping to lift the trunk of the Impala with a metallic creak. Dean watched Ben from the corner of his eye as he fidgeted from foot to foot, casting sidelong glances demonstrating his discomfiture. The hunter stood up after packing the duffel with weapons to fight demons before they would invade the family vacationing in the cabin.

"What?" Dean finally asked the teen.

Ben looked at Sam inside the car and sidled up to Dean as he ducked his head sheepishly. "Do we have to go in the cabin, Dean?"

Dean looked at Ben in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together and his eyes narrowed. Dean was trying to ascertain the motivations for the question. Ben had called _him_, so he figured it wasn't with Dean that Ben had a problem. Realization that Ben was uncomfortable mixing the life he had with Dean in the past with the new life his mom had created with Dr. Matt dawned on the hunter.

"Ben, we need to keep your mom and you safe." He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face as he looked around the clearing. He closed the trunk and leaned heavily against the back of the car. "Can you tell me what your concern with going in is?" Maybe if he could get the kid to tell him exactly, they could figure a way around it.

Ben looked up at Dean. "I don't…" Ben lowered his voice realizing he spoke a little louder than he intended. "I don't like Matt. I don't want him around Mom and I don't want Mom to like him either." Ben looked down and blushed. "I don't want him to get hurt either. I just…" Ben looked around at anything to avoid having to confront the fact that he was having this conversation with Dean. "I wanted to know about what you do, but I don't really want to… you know," he waved at the cabin in vague terms. "I don't know, Dean. I just know that…" Ben looked helpless to explain.

Dean cocked a grin and stifled the desire to laugh. "You don't want to mix that..." pointing to the cabin representing the "normal apple-pie" life he had with Lisa and Ben. "…With this." Dean lifted his shotgun indicating the hunter's lifestyle. He looked directly into the soft brown orbs of the boy. He held Ben's gaze. "That is exactly what I wanted… or didn't want… when I left. I wanted you to have normal and safe, Ben. This…" lifting the gun again, "…is not normal. It's not safe. It's the opposite and it's messy." His eyes grew hard and serious. "Ben, I don't want this for you. I never did. _You_ called _me_, and you were right to call. This is definitely a reason to call. But, we're here to do the job." He hated himself for saying it with that tone. He didn't want Ben to feel Dean didn't harbor protective loving feelings for him and his mom but he wanted Ben to realize that part of their lives was gone. It was done. Lisa made herself perfectly clear on that point.

Ben shuffled slightly before speaking. "I don't want to mix that with you because then it's really over. I can't imagine you will come back some day anymore."

Dean was dumbfounded. Luckily, Seth emerged into the clearing at that moment, his body glistened in the departing sunlight. He walked deliberately toward the three humans. His silver eyes darted around the perimeter. His expression heralded bad news. Dean straightened up once more and moved between Ben and the re'em.

"We should enter the habitation." He said simply as he continued to scan the surrounding areas.

"What's going on? Did you find the demon?" Ben asked. Dean monitored Seth's expressions, reading the body language and facial tells to determine the truthfulness of the creature's words.

"Yes, but…" he scanned the other side.

"You determined what they want?" Dean asked.

"I don't… know." Seth's eyes rested on the hunter. "But, I can tell you one thing…" His gaze landed on the boy behind Dean before coming back to the hunter and hardening, telling Dean what he'd wanted to know.

Dean nodded, turned around and grabbed Ben's arm. He walked toward the cabin. Sam was already at work salting doors and windows inside. Lisa was patiently trying to explain to Matt how they needed to just follow the directions of the two hunters. Matt was making himself a nuisance, Dean realized as he and Sam shared one of those looks that expressed so much meaning, they didn't require words. Sam handed Ben the canister of salt and pointed. The boy went to work salting the window as Sam grabbed the can of paint. Seth stood near a window and gazed out. He didn't participate in the preparations. At some point though, he became annoyed with Matt's frequent barrage of "why" and turned on the dark man.

"You will cease your endless pratter or you will not need to worry about demons coming for you." He stated the threat through clenched teeth and in a quiet voice that told the others he would accept no argument. This actually caused Dean to grin covertly as he created a devil's trap at the back door.

Lisa took Matt into one of the back bedrooms and called Ben to join them. Ben lifted his chin in defiance and looked like he would refuse. A look from the hard look on Dean's face, though, told him to comply more readily than any argument he would have gotten from his mom. As Ben passed Dean, the hunter instructed him to make sure the salt lines on the window back there stayed intact. Ben nodded and walked into his mother's awaiting arms.

As the door shut, Dean turned to Seth. "Okay. Spill."

Seth looked at the hunter. He didn't feel a compulsion as before. He almost refused, but thought better of it. These men could keep the child safe if Seth would defeat his foes. But, they would need to know what they were fighting and why; even if Seth didn't fully understand the why.

"They will come for Ben. They wish to trap me for some reason."

"So, this whole thing is because of you?" Dean asked.

Seth shrugged. "They were watching for an Innocent in order to trap me. When they found Ben, they only had to lead me into the trap. I would not have been able to resist."

Dean considered the words. He tried to find the missing piece. "So, they saw Ben was in town and that he was in the mountains. They lure you out of wherever it is you call home and…"

"It may go further back than that." Seth acknowledged. "Ben is not from here." Seth watched the hunter.

"Son of a bitch."

Dean walked into the back bedroom. He didn't want to frighten Ben or his mom, but he needed information.

"Why are you guys here?" He asked brusquely.

The questioning look on the faces in front of him didn't give him any further information. "Lisa. Why are you guys in Colorado?"

"This is my parents' summer timeshare." Matt said after a few minutes of silent staring. "I thought we could come here and…" he looked at Ben then. Dean nodded as he felt the lump grow hard in his throat. The good doctor wanted to make Ben like him and thought he could do this if he got them away from Battle Creek. Dean understood that.

"Did you have any… contact with strange people while you were here? People ask you strange questions?" Dean asked.

The shakes of their heads to answer negatively made him try another track. He looked at Lisa. "Any signs?"

Lisa's face went white. She shook her head no. She knew what he was asking. "No sulfur. No changes. No black smoke. Dean?" Dean shook his head as he turned to leave, green eyes darting as he thought through the information. He hesitated in the doorway. "Stay away from the windows." He closed the door after passing back into the common room. He began pacing. Seth merely watched as he passed back and forth in front of him. Sam tried to calm him but Dean waved him off. Seth looked at the hunter's younger brother speculatively. Sam watched his brother as well, casting curious glances up at the re'em. Suddenly, Seth stiffened.

"They come." He stated simply.

***SPN***SPN***SPN***SPN***

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: "Supernatural" is not mine. The guys, though they frequent my imagination on a regular basis, also don't belong to me. I make no money nor do I intend any kind of mischief with the use of character names, "Supernatural" multi-verse or themes. I only intend to kill the plot tribbles. There is some language, spoilage for seasons up to and including 6. No slash.

**A/N:** Chicago is a wonderful place, but being there for work made it very difficult to update this in a more timely manner. I don't particularly like interuptions in my process. I was happy that the giant robots stuck to the downtown area and my hotel was largely uneffected by the destruction. *grin* and... btw... "Taste of Chicago" was fantastic! I love the food there and we walked everywhere. I missed home and am glad to get back to this work! So... here you go.

**Chapter 9**

Gerald Colb stood before the white wooden throne before the most beautiful being he had ever seen in his life. He knew he was dreaming. He had never had particularly vivid or memorable dreams… except that time in college. He paused to think about those dreams for a moment. Mmm… But, this dream was not only vivid and potentially memorable; it was slightly weird in the way he imagined C.S. Lewis dreamed. Well, since this was a dream, he could behave in a way he would not in the real world. He tried to walk up to the woman holding court and was promptly stopped by a strong and armored being with a very sharp sword. Colb looked at the creature holding him back with a look of derision and arrogance, two states of being he never displayed in his true life outside the dream world. He pushed the warriors hand away but the warrior grabbed his wrist and pinned it behind his back. Huh. He didn't think dreams would be able to turn against him. Maybe this was more a nightmare. He looked up to the woman on the throne; no, definitely a dream. He would be willing to die and would die happy if this was his last dream.

"Permit him." She said. Those two words were as bells chiming in his mind. They hypnotized and drew him in. He sucked in a breath, straightened his posture and strode forward purposefully, a grin on his face. The smile on _her_ face seemed tired and drawn. She had worries and pressure that weighed her down. He'd seen the look before. He knew it from the mirror as well, but her worries were greater than whether or not his wife was sleeping with her gynecologist or whether the taxes going up on his business was going to put him out of business before the economy could pick up again. His own grin began to slip. He wished he could do something to help his dream woman, something to take some of her burden. He somehow felt foolish for thinking this thought since this was a dream world construct… she was a construct of his subconscious.

"Would you speak with me, human?" The melodious voice asked. He was bound to that voice, that music from the woman captivated and captured him. He would do anything she asked of him. Anything.

He was about to tell her this when she looked upon him and their eyes met. She already knew. She had him in thrall and he would do whatever she asked of him.

"We have an ally in your world. He resides in the forested areas near where we captured you." She told him. Oh, what beautiful words. She is so beautiful from her hair, her eyes, her… _oh, she's still speaking_. He drew his attention back to what she was saying. "He will not give us access to the woods. He enchanted them very well and even when he is not there, the wards keep us out. We need a creature from your world to bring us there." She rose. _Oh, she is coming towards me._

The Queen of the Seelie walked right up to the human brought before her. He was well and truly enthralled and she smiled. _Oh, tiny human, we shall have what we need through you._ She smiled toothily, then. She stroked his face and smiled at him as if he were a pet. He nodded his head with eyes wide and trusting. He would do anything… anything.

***SPN SPN SPN SPN ***

Seth stood near the window and Dean watched as the creature's jaw line clenched, his posture tightened and his stance adjusted minutely to the balls of his feet. There was no doubt that the creature was a warrior. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. A low rumble was emitted from the creature's chest right before the light from the windows dimmed in the darkness of a dozen or so plumes of black as they streamed near the windows seeking entrance. There was a knock at the door.

Seth nearly ran to fling the door open and would have done had Dean not put a restraining hand on the giant's arm. Seth resisted the impulse to pull out of the smaller hunter's grasp and hit him square in the face. Seth allowed the reasoning centers of his brain to re-engage and he looked down at the line of salt that kept the demons outside of the cabin. He looked around and spotted the canister of rock salt sitting where Ben had left it on the kitchen table. He went, grabbed it and poured an arc at the doorway. He then pulled the door open and stepped outside before the hunters could interfere. He pushed the demoness back several steps and growled deeply at her.

"You can't keep them in there forever." She sneered at him.

He nodded and brushed past the demoness down the steps onto the gravel. He looked up at the demoness and then through the window. The hunters were watching intently.

"I do not intend to keep the Innocent here." Seth began to walk in slow circles and his voice was casual, "I do, however, intend to keep him there until I can destroy you, go back to your king, kill him, then…" his voice became very threatening, "Then, I will make all of your kind so sorry for having come to Colorado, for having invaded the Creator's Paradise, for leaving your awful stain upon the beauty of this world." He rushed up to invade the demon's space. He reached out and grabbed her neck exerting a judicious use of his power to keep the monster within the "meat-suit" she was possessing. He began to squeeze and his pulse raced, adrenaline spiking. Several other demons approached from behind. Seth vaguely acknowledged hearing Sam's voice somewhere to his left. He squeezed a little more as two other demons jumped on him, grabbing him around his neck. He barely registered them. He heard fighting off to the side, but Seth focused entirely on the demon in his grasp. All his hate and anger at his current predicament bleeding into the treatment of this single demon.

***SPNSPNSPN***

"Shit." Dean exclaimed. He opened the door of the cabin and rushed to engage in the battle. He buried Ruby's blade into the shoulder blades of a demon that was turned away from him and toward the silver-haired giant.

"Dean!" Sam shouted from the doorway.

Dean turned and saw a second demon hurry to approach the hunter. Shotgun blasts told Dean that Sam, too, had engaged the enemy. Dean felt bloodlust rush through him as he stepped to do battle with the oncoming demon. He allowed all the anger that he had stifled over the past weeks to release in each pummeling strike that connected with the demon's face. Blood and gore began to splatter up into the hunter's face. The demon ghosted out of the human's mouth past Dean and away as a new demon strode forward to take on the angry man. The demon grasped Dean's fist before it connected and twisted it behind the raging hunter. Another demon approached and took Dean from his other side. Dean looked up to see his brother in a similar situation. The two hunters continued to struggle. Then, they heard glass break.

***SPN SPN SPN***

Suddenly, Seth heard the crash of glass and a woman's scream. His head snapped up from the demon to the house. If possible, his face paled even more as he realized the demons had managed to gain access to the demon-proofed house. He dropped the demon and ran into the cabin. He was too late. The two adults were slumped on the floor and the child was missing. He looked everywhere in the room and searched with his senses, but could not locate the child. Panic began to infect the giant as he continued to find no sign of the one being that would bring about his downfall.

Seth turned to go out of the cabin. He found more demons had arrived and the two hunters were pinned by two demons each. They struggled and fought against their captors. A short, dark-haired demon strode forward casually with a smirk and leaned forth to stroke the hunter's face gently. Seth saw in the green eyes of the hunter as much hate as Seth felt. A deep rumble filled the air as Seth growled deeply.

"Oh, don't be that way, Beautiful." Crowley purred at the Re'em. "I haven't seen one of your kind since the Flood." The demon chuckled.

Seth slowly descended the steps from the cabin to stand in front of the demonlord. "Where is he?" Seth spat from clenched teeth. White fire burned in his eyes and the black spiral weapon appeared in his right hand. Red and green electricity arced up the length and crackled with the smell of o-zone.

"Don't get your boxers in a bunch… he's safe." Crowley smirked and his eyes glittered at the giant in front of him. "You will do as you are told and he'll stay that way. Don't follow my very simple instructions, and… well… things might go badly for him. I won't kill him… you knew I wouldn't do that, right? I need him alive so long as you are breathing, but he doesn't have to stay… whole." Crowley narrowed his eyes ominously. Seth's heart raced and he felt the fear he had not felt for centuries begin to creep into his veins. He felt cold and powerless.

"What would you have of me?" Seth choked.

"Good boy." Crowley began. The King of Crossroads slash Hell, crossed the yard to stand in front of the older Winchester brother. "Hello, Dean. I can't do anything to you or your brother… for now. But, soon… I think that soon, you will be fair game." Crowley leaned his face very close to Dean's.

"Crowley!"

The demon closed his eyes and sighed audibly. He turned slowly and waved his demons away. Crowley smirked but he, too, disappeared.

Castiel stood nearby. The clearing had been vacated of all demonic presence except for those who had fallen to the hunters in the combat and the Winchesters stood unharmed. Seth fell to his knees and buried his face in his enormous hands, his strange weapon falling to the ground. Castiel moved slowly toward Dean but stopped near Seth, his eyes never leaving the hunter.

"Bring him back, Cas. Now!" Dean commanded harshly.

"Crowley will be dealt with, Dean." Castiel intoned quietly, dropping his face to regard the Re'em at his knee.

"Not Crowley, you son of a bitch! Ben!" Dean approached the angel with anger, hate, fear and determination in his bearing. His green eyes glistened with tears unshed threatening to manifest. Castiel's head snapped up, his expression was confused as he backed up several feet at the vehemence and ire in his friend's voice and demeanor.

"Ben? Where is Ben?"

"That's what I want to know!" Dean yelled directly in the angel's face.

"Dean, I don't know where Ben is." Castiel searched his mind briefly and his eyes landed on Seth who looked up at this exchange. Castiel looked once more at the hunter in front of him, recognition dawning on him finally. "Is Ben… an Innocent?" He whispered to Dean. Castiel swallowed hard at the acknowledgement he saw in Dean's eyes. "I will find Ben, Dean. I will. I did not know that Crowley intended this…" His eyes swept the damage and carnage of formerly possessed humans who had fallen to Ruby's blade. "I swear to you." Castiel, his blue eyes trying to convey how earnest he was, nearly pleaded with anguish at the way his friend was glowered at him.

Dean glared at the angel in front of him as though trying to determine the validity of his statement. Dean stepped back slightly and the nod he granted was barely discernible.

Castiel gave one last pitiful look to his friend- the one he fell for, the one he died for, the one he currently sought Purgatory for. He knew that Dean was having difficulty seeing Castiel as a friend any more, and Castiel felt the pain of that loss. He would make it up to the hunter, he thought. He would make it all right once more. Once he was able to find Purgatory, he would have the power to end all the strife of the nearly two years he had been absent from the hunters' lives. He would show his friends how he had never wavered from his dedication to them. He would show Dean that he never stopped being his friend. With that, he left the clearing with the sound of fluttering wings.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: "Supernatural" is not mine. I make no money nor do I intend any kind of infringement with the use of character names, "Supernatural" multi-verse or themes. I only intend to kill the plot tribbles. There is some language, spoilage for seasons up to and including 6. No slash.

**A/N:** I owe my munchkin for the frequent interruption to the pacing of my work on this chapter. It would have been out sooner, but for the constant neediness of children. Oh, well. It is good to be home with her for a while before school starts again and I enjoy being able to hang out doing stuff with her and write when I can. Thank you, thank you to dulcinea54 for whipping the muse. Sometimes, the muse turns its back and ignores me, but when a third party gets involved, it listens much better!

**Chapter 10**

Night had fallen and the humans were in the cabin. Seth could hear their strident calls through the log walls but Seth just couldn't deal with the woman and the hunters bickering and yelling. He longed to return to his grove and put all this drama behind him. He even considered seeking the Veil and joining the armies of the Fae. Anything was better than staying here and enduring the humanity in the cabin.

Suddenly, one of the hunters stormed from the wooden door, slamming it closed behind him and nearly ran to the sleek, black car sitting in front. He walked passed it fuming and cursing. He slammed his hands against the trunk and spun around, leaning aggressively on the rear end of the metal beast. Seth observed silently. Clearly, the man felt the same as the Re'em. Seth felt his lips curl upward in a smile.

Seth walked slowly and carefully toward the hunter. The night air didn't bother the giant creature, but he could see the human was starting to shiver. He couldn't tell, though, if it was the night air or something else. Seth could tell the hunter had a warrior's spirit and of all the creatures he had encountered, a warrior was able to earn his respect better than anything else. He did, however, remember that the man was still a hunter. Hunters were responsible for the fact that he was alone. His mate and their offspring were killed by hunters.

"You will find the child?" Seth asked quietly.

Dean looked up at the ancient creature. His eyes softened then hardened again. "This is because of you."

Seth nodded. "They want me, yes."

"Why?" Dean asked.

Seth took a deep breath and gazed up to the stars above. His graceful movements shimmered with a silver light in the soft white glow from the moon. "It's a very long story." He closed the distance between himself and Dean. He leaned against the trunk of the Impala very near the hunter. "Let's just say, I am very old, very powerful and they really need a weapon that cannot be stopped by heaven or hell." Seth grinned to himself.

"Except you can be. You just have to have the right tool, right?" Dean's voice carried with it an edge of violence. Seth recognized the whisper of hate and rage in the man's voice. He could sense in the man that if he had a tool to destroy a re'em, the hunter would willingly oblige.

Seth remained quiet and still next to Dean. Seth typically didn't enjoy being this close to one such as Dean. He was anything but innocent and the waves of impurity were as clouds of putrescence flowing from him. But, there was also that about him that convinced Seth that this man was righteous. It was a contradiction Seth found disquieting. Dean looked at the giant, his eyes never leaving the silvery re'em even when Sam joined the two of them.

"I want to hear it, the whole story, from the top."

***SPN SPN SPN****

The Creator insisted that his Celestial children show deference to the humans on the planet. Many of the Host immediately followed the order of their Father. Some did so but did not really feel it in their hearts. Others, like Lucifer, flatly refused. Luciferians were immediately cast from Heaven for their crime.

The Host of Heaven had travelled between the planet the Creator had made and their home freely for generations. Angels had interacted with humans and frequently interfered in their lives and destinies. Occasionally, some of the angels Fell in order to live more openly with humans. Some of the angels Fell in order to follow Lucifer. But, the intermingling was not exactly discouraged by the heavenly Father. It had, in fact, been passively allowed. He didn't raise a fuss and not many had looked askance- Until Lucifer corrupted Lillith.

Lillith was vain and young. Her temptation was relatively easy to accomplish. Lucifer cooed to her promises of love and power. She received neither from her human husband and she felt that the angel was earnest in his promises. She died and became a demon because of the corruption of Lucifer. She wasn't the first to bear a child of an angel, though she was the first to do so in defiance of Law- man's law as well as God's.

Michael ordered Gabriel to call the Host home. Most of them returned to Heaven. Those who followed Lucifer were barred. Those who Fell for humans chose to stay with their mortal mates. And then, Michael closed the Gates, locking the Fallen and Luciferians out of Paradise. When it became known that God forbid the creation of Nephilim in response to Lillith's corruption, there was despair among the Fallen. It further added to their despair when God called down the rain. Forty days and forty nights of rain. Not a light drizzle, but a monsoon and the land was swallowed in water.

In the time between the rain and Heaven's Gates locking closed, there was a battle between Michael and his Fallen brother. Michael locked Lucifer in a cage and sent the Luciferians to Hell. Demons created after Lillith, the Nephilim, and the Fallen remained on the planet. And they were handed a Death Sentence. Nephilim and Fallen were not permitted to board the ark God had the human build. There was plenty of room. It was bigger on the inside… don't ask. The rain would fall and all creatures, celestial and infernal would die in a wave of water that would consume everything in its path as if Famine itself fed it.

Then, a creature of the Fae emerged from the misty Veil. A bargain was struck. Demons and half-demons were sent to Hell. But Hell hungered for the souls of the Fallen celestials. They were not permitted in Heaven and, therefore, Hell believed they should be the beneficiaries of the doomed souls. The Fae refused but agreed that after seven years, the number of souls would be remitted. The Veil was opened and the celestial refugees became inhabitants of the Fae. Before the close of the portal, another creature approached the emissary of the Veil. He walked forth with a young human woman at his side.

"Will you take this creature with you?" The young human asked the fairy.

The fairy looked with speculation at the creature in front of her. "Do you wish to travel into the land of the Fae?" she questioned the giant of a man in front of her.

He looked at the young woman. Tears ran down her face as she returned his glance. She was begging forgiveness for her part in his capture, his mate's demise and the fact that he was unwelcome with the others on Noah's boat.

He stroked her face gently and nodded. He turned to face the fairy.

"Will you come as this?" She gestured to the human form the creature assumed. "Or will you come in your true form?"

Seth snorted at her. His eyes filled with tears that went unshed. His form shimmered and the creature that stood before the fairy was an enormous silvery-white equine nearly the size of an elephant with light grey mane, tail and long hair from his chin. His most prominent feature was the spiraling black horn protruding from the center of his forehead. Green, red, yellow and blue arcs of electricity sparked from its base to tip. He was magnificent. He pawed the ground with enormous silver hooves creating the sound of bell chimes with each strike. The human walked to him, placed her hand on the smooth bridge of his nose. He snorted softly into her hand and pushed it forward with a confident shove. She laughed quietly and threw her arms around his strong, muscled neck. She felt his muscles twitch with suppressed pleasure.

"It is quickly growing time, Re'em. Will you come and submit to my queen's commands in exchange for your freedom from this place?"

Seth looked at the fairy with solemn eyes, silver and sparkling with sadness, and nodded his head emphatically. The portal through the Veil opened to reveal the world beyond, the world of the Fae.

***SPN SPN SPN***

Seth relayed his tale to the Winchester brothers in a solemn voice, quiet and filled with pain in the telling. He did not die because he was the first. He was the Alpha of the Re'em. There were only a few that were ever alive anyway. He was called Svaðilfari at the time that the queen of the Fae farmed him out to help in the creation of a great wall. He regretted that period of time for many reasons.

He was released from his bond to the Fae during the human Middle Ages, for which he was incredibly grateful. Since that time, he managed to elude human hunters, incite hopeless romantics who witnessed him in his grove to write bad poetry, and to accidentally avert a war by lying in the path of a great army headed for India. He travelled through the land of the Fae when he attempted escape from some Hunters during the turn of the 19th century and came out in the United States.

He stayed in areas that were not inhabited by many people. He stayed in human form for the most part. He knew it was easier to hide out as a tree spirit, ghost or forest spirit in the world in which he found himself. He would occasionally wander into human areas in order to overhear news from the inhabitants. He seldom needed material goods of human creation, but when he felt the desire or need, he would pilfer what he required and head back into the forests.

"I have been used as a weapon before." Seth admitted quietly. He narrowed his eyes to barely slits in which the brothers were able to discern a silvery liquid filling the wells beneath grey orbs.

Sam regarded the still form of the Re'em. The giant creature towered over him as a statue, motionless and, except for the tear that silently fell, emotionless. He considered the guarded expression of the creature and tried to think of what it reminded him.

Sam noticed that the re'em had shown the most emotion and connectedness with the world when recounting his past. Although he told his story in the matter-of-fact tones and neutral phrasing that would remove the giant from the pain of the telling, he was struggling with the ancient memories. This was unlike any story he can remember being told. It was history, and yet, the creature had lived it. It must be agony knowing he can never get back those moments, that he would live this life alone without family or friends. Sam paused in his reflection to spare a glance at his brother.

Then, it occurred to him, _that is where I have seen that look_. His brother had the same guarded and pain-shadowed expression as the re'em. It occurred to him that he had seen that expression on Dean when they had returned from the conversation with Joshua in the Garden at the center of Heaven. He had seen it when Castiel had given up his search for God. He saw the expression before Sam went to Lucifer to say, "Yes." He had no way of knowing how often he had seen the expression during the time he had travelled with Dean before Death returned Sam's soul, but he saw it now.

Dean took all the information he gained from the narrative and compartmentalized the things he needed to remember, discarded the things which he felt were extraneous or that he didn't really understand and stowed the rest away for closer examination later.

"Can you find him?" Dean asked suddenly. "Can you… you know… track him or something?"

Seth considered the hunter and grimaced. "I am not a wolfhound, human. But,… yes, I can find him. I can locate him if I get close enough to his location." Seth stopped to consider a moment. "I am currently unable to sense him, though. And that worries me."

"Doesn't that just mean that you're just not close enough? Maybe we can…"

Seth shook his head. "I should be able to sense him if he is on the same continent. I have a very long range." He tilted his head, "Unless, he is under wards to deter my detection."

"How bad will this be… if they are able to make you into a weapon? What can they get you to do?" Dean asked after a moment of silent introspection.

Seth shrugged. "It depends on what they do to the Innocent. He can tell them to shove it, or he can tell me to follow orders." He looked out into the darkness surrounding the clearing. "How strong is the boy?"

Dean straightened and he demonstrated a look of defiant pride in Ben. "He's a Winchester."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: "Supernatural" is not mine. I make no money nor do I intend any kind of infringement with the use of character names, "Supernatural" multi-verse or themes. I only intend to kill the plot tribbles. There is some language, spoilage for seasons up to and including 6. No slash.

**A/N:** For the purpose of this fiction, I interchangeably use Fae and Fallen, Nephilim/Nephel and fairy. The lore here is that they are one and the same. The Fae is also used to indicate the place of Seth's telling in the previous chapter establishing _where_ the Fallen went. After entering beyond the Veil they became leaders of the new world they would call home. The previous inhabitants of the Fae remain and are minor fairies like some of those shown in "Clap If You Believe" Season 6. Cathsidhe and sprites, for example, are not angels or half-angels, but are original inhabitants of the Fae (the place).

**Chapter 11**

The queen had met with the emissary of her sister and the interview was… _disturbing_. She knew she would need to accumulate more power to fight off the minions of Hell should they try and permeate the Veil into the Fae. Time was growing short and Titania knew that Crowley would not accept delay actions—the first line strategy of fairies. The Leaders of the Fae armies agreed that Crowley had other motivations and intentions with regard to evoking hostilities and altering the ancient treaty. The Fae had never been all-together thrilled regarding the "_understanding"_ with Hell, especially after the time that had passed since its inception. The Fallen had never thought they should have to be vassals of Hell, tithing a percentage of souls to whoever ruled at any given time. But they would remain faithful- for centuries had been faithful- to the letter of the treaty. Granted, they never used fairy souls to fuel the tithe, it was never specified that it should be. Now, though, she would prove to the up-start King that it was never wise to renege on a bargain struck with the Fae.

Titania walked to the edge of the pavilion, a sweet-smelling breeze drifted around her. She had all the fairy souls at her immediate disposal. She had the souls of the children of the Fallen. She had access to a bank of human souls she had managed to collect over the seven years including the soul that, even now, groveled at her feet. They would only abduct first born sons from the human world in mirror to the practice of ancient times. She remembered the reports from the few Fallen who dared travel beyond the Veil after their exile. The Creator was okay with the use of first-born sons as a sacrifice.

She gazed across the gathered forces of Seelie and Unseelie Fae assembling there, a wide swath of green between them. Armor and weapons shine brightly in the yellow-gold sunlight. It will take more souls than she has available to her to fight against Hell. She was momentarily lost in thought when she heard the faint rustling of angelic wings to her right. She turned to regard the tightly wound Fallen as he half bowed to her.

"My Queen." He murmered softly, voice low and bass, like the rumbling of thunder in the distance.

She regarded the beautiful angel a moment. It seemed so long since she considered herself an angel. It seemed so long since she unfurled her own wings and let herself fly. She never once returned to the human world after their exile. This angel before her had. He managed to stride the boundaries without notice for thousands of years. His broad tanned-skin face serious and his almond shaped brown eyes intense. He had come before the human people in the place nearby where the Re'em had emerged into the human world. He was venerated there as an ancient spirit of the native people in the region. She knew that he had a particular closeness to the humans. For this reason, he managed to be her best source of information.

He had remained quiet and attentive until she permitted him. "You may speak."

"The re'em is tethered to an Innocent." He began and the look of uncertainty and concern prompted her to know that while this is not the worst news, the angel had not finished speaking. "The Innocent has been taken by the demonlord."

Titania sighed. This was not good at all. If Crowley was able to break the child, the world, her world, would never be able to withstand the resulting storm.

"Do you know where the demon keeps the Innocent?"

The dusky angel nodded but grimaced in response. "He has warded the chamber with angel-proofing sigils. The Hunters are now with the re'em."

Her attention was whipped to the angel with such intense focus. Her wings mantled aggressively, her eyes narrowed and severe. He flinched visibly and withdrew slightly from her reach, pulling his own wings close to his body in submission. She relaxed her gaze and her wings came closer to her body after fluffing out to release some of the adrenaline that had coursed through her. She had to visibly restrain herself from any further outward displays. She began to pace casually, appearing outwardly as though she was simply taking in the vistas from each of the open panels of the pavilion. Once she had retained her composure, she turned to face the angel still standing close by.

"I need a messenger." She stated.

***SPN SPN SPN***

Castiel had located the warehouse that had initially made him question his partner. He stood outside staring up at the Enochian and infernal sigils meant to keep out prying eyes. This was typically when he would seek the assistance of Dean and Sam. He knew if he brought the Hunters here and the boy was not inside, they would have more fuel to the fire within them that lit with rage and betrayal. If the boy _was_ here and he brought the Hunters, they would enter the building and he would not be able to stop Crowley and his demons from harming all of them.

It was a quandary.

He considered calling Crowley and demanding the immediate release of the boy. On the other hand, if he was able to lure the re'em Alpha to the warehouse, they might be able to garner the information they required. That still left Crowley holding all the information and demons were notoriously unreliable allies.

Not to mention, then Crowley would have… what was it Dean had called it… all the aces? Human colloquialisms still eluded Castiel, even after all this time with the Winchesters.

The answer to all the questions of how to keep his friends safe, how to defeat his enemies in Heaven, and how to bring about the new "Way" lies in one word—Purgatory. He shoved aside the doubt of the weak and fallen angel within and embraced the warrior part of his motivations; the part of him that saw the game pieces and the map in his mind as if it all lay bare in front of him. The problem was Crowley, through his actions to locate and subdue the re'em Alpha, had actually complicated matters beyond the telling. He introduced an unstoppable force of chaos into the game—the Winchesters. He might have blasphemed had he been comfortable doing so. The thought that the two brothers for whom he set upon this road to protect might end the expedition through their ignorant stubbornness seemed an irony too thick to cut. The image of Dean barely containing his anger and disappointment during their last confrontation was seared irrevocably in his mind. He sighed and stared again at the warehouse.

He felt the need to lash out, to strike, to burn, to feel the way he did before. The aching hole he felt was even more disturbing when he looked back at the easy relationship he had, the sense of purpose and righteousness he had felt when he was assisting the Winchesters; he fought side by side with the humans against all the forces of Heaven and Hell and he was whole. He wanted that back. More than that, he wanted the Winchesters to look differently at him, to stop viewing him as the enemy. He wanted them to quit treating him like a child, to stop looking at him as though he'd lost his mind. Mostly, he wanted their trust, their allegiance, their…

He looked at the warehouse. He had made his decision.

***SPN SPN SPN***

Ben panted in the darkness. It smelled of wet cement, stale machine grease, nauseating human scents and dirty cloth. He couldn't tell whether it was day or night. He could tell there were guttural voices speaking a language he couldn't understand nearby. He knew he had some sort of bag or hood over his head.

"I think it's awake." A harsh voice said very near his right ear. Ben tensed and inhaled sharply, looking to his right, but not able to see anything. He did, however, sense movement and the presence moved away and behind him. "Tell _his majesty_", the voice sneered.

"Be careful of your tone." Another whispered voice admonished severely. An unintelligible grumble from the first voice responded. The sound of departing heavy footfalls sounded in Ben's ears. He looked right, then left, trying to detect any light.

He smelled the scent of alcohol similar to that he had come to associate with… "Dean?" Ben whispered.

"Nope." Ben heard the amused and accented voice in front of him. "Try again." The voice was so close. Ben could almost feel the slick breath against his skin. Ben shivered and drew away in revulsion. This just made the source of the voice chuckle menacingly as it pulled back away from him.

Ben was able to hear and sense the form as it walked around him. Ben was able to feel the binding around his wrists dig into his skin painfully. He nearly whimpered as he twisted his hands, trying to gain some give in them in order to purchase their release.

"You might as well quit struggling," the voice purred. "He won't be coming." Ben could feel a slender finger against his arm, trailing up to his shoulder, then across his chest. Ben gasped and shivered. He felt nausea caused by fear and adrenaline, the metallic taste of it filling the back of his mouth.

"Wh-what have… where is he?" Ben tried to sound confident and strong, but cringed as it came out as a squeak and sounded so young. The deep chuckle in response to the question made Ben wish he could curl into himself and hide away from the captor. A dozen scenarios darted in Ben's mind. Each of them was more horrible than the last.

"Dear sweet Dean has… other… things to occupy his time." Crowley purred.

Ben felt his breathing speed up. He was beyond frightened. He felt his heart race. He was terrified. He knew that Dean had enemies. He knew that Dean had slept very little from the time he came to live with he and his mom. Ben heard the whimpers and screams, the tossing and turning at night. He heard his mother's hushed and calming voice soothing Dean in the dark of night. He had snuck from his room to witness Dean curled around his mother's form one night after a particularly rough nightmare. Ben had felt fear then, but not his own fear. He had felt fear for the man he had wanted to be his dad since their defeat of the Changelings. Ben had become specifically "tuned in" to the sounds from Dean's room since that first big nightmare. He wanted to help Dean feel as safe as Dean made Ben feel. When Dean moved into his mom's room, he was better able to sleep. Ben knew things were better and only listened for the familiar footfalls in the hall or the timbre of Dean's voice in the living room.

Now, he only wanted to hear those familiar sounds. He trembled visibly and closed his eyes. He didn't want to die. He didn't want Dean to feel responsible for his death. He wanted to rush into his mom's arms and bury himself in her embrace.

"Don't worry, Precious." The demon said slowly. "I don't plan on killing you. And the pain will only last until you do what I want you to do. Then, you can go home to your dear ol' mum."

"Wh-what do you w-want me t-to do?" Ben stuttered with the trembling of his body.

He could almost hear the smile across the demon's face. "That's m'boy." Ben heard the clink of ice against a glass tumbler as the demon sipped his drink.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters for spoilers AND evidence that I have no financial stake in the success of Supernatural and make no profit from the stuff that comes from my brain onto the "paper" before me… *whimper. Whimper. WHAAAHHH! Sniff…*

**A/N:** See end of chapter *grin*

**Chapter 12**

Information is the currency of the realm. The queen has messengers and spies in all corners of the known multi-verse voraciously gathering and frugally dispensing the currency. Seth leaned against the rough trunk of the evergreen tree in the deep forest. The messenger flitted before him. He regarded the miniscule creature with a pensive expression as he contemplated the implications of her message. The pixie was frolicking and spiraling amongst the trees' boughs and needles, down through the shrubbery with their waxy, pointed, deep-green leaves. It amused Seth to regard her as he remained still in his thoughts.

He grumbled deeply to gain her attention. The amber-colored glowing wisp darted swiftly toward him, hovering with a nearly musical soprano hum of her wings.

"Go and inform your queen that I will come." He rumbled tersely. He stared at the tiny creature with intense grey eyes. "Let her know that the price will be high."

The glowing orb surrounding the creature bobbed in response and zipped away faster than even his eyes were able to follow. Seth turned to walk back to the cabin. He came face to face with an emerald-eyed hunter.

Seth grimaced as he felt the waves of heat and suspicion from the human. He schooled his expression, pulling a flat affect, playing stoic once more. Dean stood before the giant creature; a very physical as well as figurative barrier to the unicorn's forward progress.

"So," began the hunter in a nonchalant tone of voice, "You were planning a trip?"

Seth didn't respond. He remained passive and unmoving. He could sense the human's blood pressure rise, though he saw that Dean maintained an air of indifference Seth could detect was completely feigned. Dean stood very still in front of the giant. They remained that way for a long while and locked eyes in a silent battle of wills. Seth was well-practiced with thousands of years of experience. Dean, while younger, had stubborn written in his genetic code.

"You stated to me that you were willing to do what was needed to get Ben back to his mom." Dean drawled casually. "Is this meeting you were planning a way to do that, or are you planning a trip off grid?"

Seth snorted but narrowed his eyes at the young hunter. He was surprised at the perceptiveness of the human.

"Questions and answers have a premium, human." Seth intoned. "Ben isn't here to compel me to answer without a price being paid."

"How about we let you live? Huh?" Dean said with a voice tense and threatening. "Do you think your life is sufficient price?"

Seth barked out laughter at the human's impertinence. Seth began to push past the hunter. Dean stepped deliberately in his way. The power struggle the two engaged in was likely to end in the human getting hurt or killed. Seth was less likely to maintain a firm grip on his temper in the current situation. It wasn't as if Seth was unable to power through the human to reach his destination. He would be able to "steam roll" the hunter if he wanted- Just as the human's have done the perfection of the Creator's world.

"Dean." The one word defused the tension in the air, shifting it to another. Seth felt anger and bile rise up inside him. Dean turned slowly to face his former friend and ally. Both Re'em and Hunter stood on the balls of their toes in anticipation of conflict.

"Well?" Dean said as he turned in the same imitation of nonchalance as he adopted while addressing Seth .

Castiel sighed breathily and regarded the human and re'em with a feeling he was unable to identify. "I believe I may have located the place where Crowley holds Ben" he began. Dean immediately became alert and focused on the wary angel. "But," Castiel continued, "I need to find out for sure before I tell you where it is." Dean clenched his hands into balls and he began to breathe heavier in an attempt to control the growing anger. Castiel may have sensed the precarious nature of the man's mood as he moved slightly backward, away from Dean. What he clearly hadn't anticipated was the complete lack of restraint Seth exhibited as the re'em strode quickly forward and grasped the unfortunate angel around his neck.

It took Dean only moments to analyze the situation and determine a course of action. It might have been a no-brainer in times past, but Dean was conflicted within himself between striking out at Seth to let go of Cas, his friend and brother; or to join Seth in making Castiel reveal the information he was not inclined to share. Ultimately, Dean chose the course of action too firmly ingrained in his behavior, too rooted in his heart and the paths he would always choose. He strode toward the giant before him and gritted the words from between clenched teeth.

"Ben may not be here now, but I'm guessing his instructions to you will always control what you may do… Does the compulsion also govern how you behave with regard to Ben's safety?" Dean asked quickly, watching the way Castiel seemed uncomfortable in the unicorn's grasp.

Seth intended to ignore the hunter, to not answer the question posed. Information was power and he wasn't going to give it away for free. "Yes," came the answer from Seth's mouth despite his intentions. He growled deep in his chest. Ben had ordered him to answer all Dean's questions and he had no choice.

Dean seized the pale hand holding Cas' neck in a firm grip. "Think, Seth. He has information we need to get Ben back. Leave him alone." His green eyes found Cas' blue and held them. The two men regarded each other and they seemed to communicate all the pain at their circumstances, the betrayal and distrust—but also harkened back to a time when they were easy around each other, when their companionship held mutual trust and fraternity.

"Dean," Seth warned. "Angels are untrustworthy. They have nothing but their orders to hold them to their oaths. If this one has orders to keep the information…"

"Stop!" Dean exclaimed, turning to regard the re'em. "You don't know Cas like I do. Let him go."

Seth grumbled and growled, but his grip around the angel's neck began to loosen. "I don't know 'Cas', but I do know angels, Dean."

Castiel reached up and straightened the collar of his ever-present trenchcoat and the suit jacket beneath it. He turned toward Dean and waited, seemingly unfazed by the rough treatment from the giant. He neither thanked Dean nor admonished Seth, but remained silent during the battle of wills between the Alpha Re'em and the hunter who had been his friend for all these many years since the escape from Hell.

Seth was wary and ready to grab at the angel again in the event the celestial decided to leave without permission. Dean approached Castiel just as wary of the angel as Seth, but for very different reasons.

"You okay?" Dean asked, his voice above a hoarse whisper.

"I am uninjured." Castiel answered simply.

Dean scoffed and turned slightly to regain his composure. When he returned to Castiel, his expression was once again hard and unforgiving. Castiel exhaled sadly as the moment passed. Their small rally of what-once-was gave a small glimmer to the friends of the kind of strain they both had placed upon their relationship, but the connections were now frayed and ragged, tenuously stretched and barely holding. The glint of regret in Dean's eyes was acknowledged and reciprocated in the resolved blue of Castiel's.

"You need to tell us where Ben is, Cas. No checking or waiting… we need to know and you need to tell us."

Castiel lifted his chin in defiance. "I do not, Dean. I am not compelled to give you answers on your terms. You had a chance to trust me, Dean. I asked you to please trust me. You are the one who made the choice. This is a result of your folly."

"My folly?" Dean advanced aggressively moving to maintain eye contact with Cas. "_My_ folly, Cas? I learned about dealing with demons a long time ago, Cas. You were there to see the consequences of the _folly_ in dealing with demons! My dad, my mom, Samuel, my cousins… all are the casualties of that folly. Sam went without a soul for _over a year_ because of folly. We, _all of us,_ know the folly in dealing with Crowley and you say this is _my_ folly? Get your head out of your ass, Cas, because this sure as hell not a result of _my_ folly!"

Castiel clenched and unclenched his jaw. He swiveled his head to avoid direct eye contact with Dean even as the hunter moved into Cas' personal space to try and regain the eye contact during his rant. The avoidance of the direct confrontation reminded Castiel of his own doubts. He was well past the point where those doubt were actionable. He had no choice at this point but to proceed forward. He couldn't verywell point this out to Dean who was being completely unrelenting and unreasonable. Seth loomed close by and Castiel believed that it may behoove him to give Dean some small tidbit of information before departing. After all, he didn't want the Winchesters too far from a rescue when he and Crowley got what they needed from Ben. Castiel didn't doubt that he would be able to keep Ben safe for a while, but after the information was withdrawn from the giant re'em, the Winchesters were going to need to extract the boy so as to fulfill Castiel's promise to Dean.

"I know the boy is in a warehouse with angel-proofing sigils and wards. It is very nearby, but I need to go now if I am to tell you where." Castiel turned his gaze to implore Dean to allow him to leave. Castiel still needed to pay a visit to the King of Hell and he needed to be done with this soon. The sooner he went off to put his plan to action, the sooner he can pull the souls from Purgatory into himself. The sooner that is done, the sooner everyone will be safe. Castiel, feeling justified in his course of action, nodded to his friend and flew off to complete the second part of his plan.

A/N: I know this is super short and I am truly sorry. This is going in a direction I hadn't anticipated at the beginning and real life keeps hammering on the door demanding attention. Sadly, there is no way to ignore the persistent demands of family, work and… to be honest… sleep! Hope you liked this bit of an offering.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** Standard disclaimer applies, see previous chapters for all I don't own the SPN rights. Also, you should know there is profanity a bit in this chap. It's Dean, what else could possibly be new.

**A/N:** The draft I had written kept ticking me off. I was never happy with it and the revisions made me want to throw the computer against a wall. I let my Hubby know how I was feeling, he gave me some insights and I re-read what I had. I figured it out. I was moving away from the main characters and moving way too far into my own characters, too much expository and not enough blowing stuff up.(it doesn't happen in this chapter but will in subsequent chaps—just you wait!) So, I went back and trashed the entire draft to begin again. Just from here though. All the preceding chapters are where they are supposed to be (I think). So, without further ado…

**Chapter 13**

Dean was done with non-human assholes in his life. He was done with demons, werewolves, shifters, vamps, gods, tricksters, and fucking angels. He was completely finished with the whole mess of them.

He walked back to the cabin and found Lisa sitting in the main room talking with Dr. Matt.

Dean sucked in a calming breath as he tried to prepare for what was coming. This was another thing Dean could stand to be little more "without"—walking in on Lisa with her new boyfriend.

Lisa rose from the sofa where the tall physician was holding her as she cried in despair. Dean prepared himself for the blame, the guilt, the anger… he deserved it. He would accept it all; it never came.

Lisa stood before the hunter with hope and faith in her tear-streaked face.

"Tell me you found something." She whispered, her voice nearly gone from the screamed denial and protestation of earlier when she found he son missing.

Dean's gaze went to the boyfriend, who was now standing behind Lisa. The barely perceptible clench of Dean's jaw, the softening then hardening of his eyes, and the slouch of his shoulders told Lisa more than his words could have. She could read him even as he read the tension and despair replace the hope she had just moments ago. She fell again onto the sofa, Dr. Matt wrapping his massive hands on her shoulders.

Dean had to leave the room. He considered going for air. Instead he retreated behind the closest door, closing it behind him. He couldn't bear the tears. The yelling recriminations he could take.

His eyes drifted around the room to the shattered glass of the room's only window. He vaguely recalled hearing it break during the battle. He looked at his feet as he stood leaning against the bedroom door. He could hear Lisa's soft voice on the other side of the door responding to the query posed by the baritone voice of the physician.

He couldn't begrudge Lisa an opportunity to be happy with someone without connections to Heaven or Hell…

Dean's eyes drifted back to his feet. Grains of rock salt scattered from the solid white line now broken at the door. Ben must have salted it once his family was safely in the room. Dean automatically scrutinized the perimeter of the room- His routine inspection formed from decades of habit rather than conscious thought. He regarded several items in the room, hand cream Lisa used for the health of her cuticles (whatever that means), jewelry, alarm clock, telephone charger, a glass of water. The bed was unmade; glass still littered the bedsheets and the floor at the foot of the bed. Dena began to pace around the bed. He slowed his stride to look at the window. The sill was still sprinkled with blue granules of broken tempered glass among large white crystals of salt. His booted foot fell heavy in the debris over the wooden floor. He looked down at the line of red paint covered by the remnants of the double-paned window.

From where he stood, he looked further in the room to see a closet lined with several outfits Lisa had hung there. The large black suitcase lay sideways in the closet floor, spilling its contents in haphazard chaos. The bathroom door stood ajar and Dean was able to see several containers that Lisa would use during her nightly ritual ablutions.

Dean hadn't moved from the window and as his eyes finished the circuit around the room, he gazed out the now-empty frame. He watched the giant, Seth, approach the Impala and Lisa's CRV. He met green eyes to silver through the hole. Seth froze and waited for the hunter.

Dean was about to turn and retreat from the room when he stopped and looked down once more. Red paint on the wooden floor held his gaze. He knelt down and grabbed a corner of the sheet from the bed, pulling it down to him; Dean brushed the sheet to weep the detritus from the painted pentagram on the floor. His eyes scanned the lines critically until he found the break—a score in the wood breaking the protection for which it was meant.

Dean rose from his inspection to look at the Re'em once again. Something in his body language alerted the giant and Seth began a steady approach to the cabin's entrance. Dean collected himself, calming his countenance as he turned to the door.

The two doors opened to the main room at the same time. Hunter and Re'em both looked in the living room. Lisa looked up from her tearful introspection at the two. She took in the storm within the green eyes of the hunter and the question within the silver eyes of the unicorn. Matt looked up and concern shifted to a knowing smirk. Matt moved with such speed that Seth and Dean were caught flat-footed and were behind him too slowly to catch him. He was out the back door and gone.

When they returned to the cabin fifteen minutes later, Dean inspected the damaged Devil's traps. Sam, Seth, and Lisa remained in the living room listening to Dean fume with choice obscenities and recriminations.

Seth decided it was time. They would need true magic to find the boy. They would need true magic to subvert the celestial and infernal magicks that were likely to thwart the Hunters retrieving the boy. Yes, Seth decided, it is time to submit to the Fae.

***SPNSPNSPN***SPNSPNSPN***SPNSPNSPN***

Ben had to hold out.. hold on… Dean would come. Ben had faith… Dean _would _come. He closed his eyes. He pictured a hundred scenarios that could happen where Dean would arrive just in time. The dark fabric hood over his head remained in place and his hands remained tied behind him. He rubbed the tip of his tongue over the front of his teeth. His mouth was dry and sticky. He tried to suppress the stuttering quake of his flesh. He could hear and sense movement nearby, but was unable to determine which of his captors was in the room. He knew it wasn't the one in charge. That one smelled of alcohol and expensive cologne. He wasn't exactly silent as he moved, but Ben would be able to identify the brush of fabric against fabric, of the ice against glass, of the demon breathing close to his ear…

Ben was unable to with-hold the full-bodied shake the memory produced as his pulse quickened.

Dean would come, he reminded himself. Dean _will_ come.

Once Ben was able to contain his physical reactions to the memory, he took a deep breath. He imagined instead the memory of himself and Dean sitting in the garage a couple of weeks after the man came to stay with them. Ben had a project due for his physical science class and he was unsure how to begin. He remembered Dean's red-rimmed green eyes and drawn haggard face even the hoarse whisper of Dean's voice.

"In any new situation or problem," Dean began, "You have to have a plan. But, in order to do that, you have to assess your situation. What is the problem? What kinds of things are you up against? What kinds of resources, tools, assets do you have available? What will you need? You have to do some research, Ben." Dean's voice seemed tired but sure.

"Okay, Ben," he thought to himself, "What are we up against?"

Ben took stock of the echoes in the next room. The acoustics suggested a tall ceiling. Could be a warehouse, then? The room he was in had hard floors… possibly cement? He tapped his sneaker against the floor. It sounded like cement anyway. He could hear rough voices in the other room, though they didn't seem nearby, nor were they speaking loudly.

The voices in the room where Ben was tied were close, muted, and intimate. He was in a small room based on the sounds when there was someone here. Maybe he was in a storage room? That sent shivers down his spine again. Maybe he was in an office.

He thought about the chair he was in... wood, straight back. It could be an ordinary dining table chair or an office chair. His buttocks were numb from sitting on the hard surface. It was probably not a chair for someone who spends a lot of time at a desk.

He remembers someone leaning against a piece of furniture or something in the room that thumped like metal. The rattle of leg or foot aginst thin metal side reminded him of his teacher's desk when someone would bump against it when turning in papers or asking for help during class.

Okay, so I'm likely in a warehouse with an office; probably in an industrial park?

He listened. He could hear a clanging metal on metal rhythmically outside. It reminded him of a chain against a metal drum. It didn't sound like it clanging purposefully but as if it was at the whim of the wind. He also heard a boat whistle. It had to be a boat. It didn't sound like a car or big truck. The engine sounds were far away and gurgled instead of roared or purred.

A tear slid down Ben's face. How he longed to hear the roar of the Impala's engine… even the sound of the work truck. Where was Dean?

The shock of cold fear coursed through his veins chilling him from the base of his neck down, tightening in his throat and hardening into a thick heavy ball in his stomach. He wanted to vomit and the metallic sick taste in his mouth didn't help dispel the feeling.

Dean wasn't coming. Dean doesn't know where he is. Ben doesn't even know where he is, so how could Dean? He was in an industrial park near water with big boats. That didn't sound like anywhere near Colorado. He wasn't in Colorado. He could be anywhere. A demon has him. He's nearly positive the creature holding him is a demon. That thought stopped him cold again.

He salted the windows. There were devil's traps painted at the doorways and windows. He watched Sam paint them. He helped lay the salt.

How did a demon get inside?

Ben had been watching the bedroom door and listening to the voices in the living room. He heard Dean and Seth. He knew the demons were coming. He heard Seth declare the on-coming storm.

He remembers turning to see black smoke obscure the window. He remembers his heart hammering inside of his chest. He turned to the door again when he heard Seth leave and Dean yell followed by Dean leaving and Sam yelling. Did they let the demons in? No! They couldn't have! Ben had laid a salt line at the bedroom door. If Dean, Sam or Seth had broken the line in the front room, they would also have had to deliberately broken the devil's trap. He couldn't see any of the three doing that.

He squeezed his eyes in concentration. He could see the dark room behind his eyelids. He could imagine the sounds and smells. He concentrated, seeing the sequence unravel itself as if he were viewing it from outside of himself… as though he were watching a movie in slow motion.

He gasped as it occurred to him. His eyes widened under the black hood. He smelled the scent of Polo cologne from behind him. It was as if that scent triggered the missing memory. The way engine grease, sawdust, alcohol and the musky warm scent reminded him of Dean, the cloying perfume smell that Dean didn't bother wearing was in his nose now as it had been in that darkened bedroom. He could hear the footfalls accompanied by the squeak of rubber soles of shoes on cement floors.

Ben's heart rate raced and he turned his head slightly in the direction of the footfalls that circled him. He smelled the cologne more powerfully now.

"Where's Dean?" Ben croaked, his voice harsh even to his own ears.

A low chuckle sounded to his left, very close, but words did not form in the ominous silence that drew longer. Ben began to struggle against his bonds.

"You know he'll find me! And he'll kick your ass!" Ben declared. He was proud of the fierce defiance in his voice as he spat the words.

Another low chuckle. Ben knew who it was circling him like a shark drawn to blood. He quelled the whimper he felt bubbling in his throat. He swallowed it down and took a breath to still the adrenaline coursing through him.

"Were you ever Matt?" He asked. "Or were you always a demon?"

The figure stopped circling. Ben ceased his struggling and listened.

"I wondered if you knew." Matt's voice pondered. "It doesn't matter though."

Ben could almost detect the nonchalant shrug in the demon's voice.

"What doesn't matter?" Ben asked. He began to twist his wrists in the ropes trying to stretch them. He wanted Matt to continue talking. He remembered a line in a cartoon. Get him monologuing, he thought to himself. Get him to tell you where you are and give you more information. Dean's voice in his head echoed, "You have to do some research."

Matt obliged.

Ben could feel the air pressure change and "Matt" leaned in close. Ben could hear the breath escape the demon's borrowed mouth near his ear.

"He's not coming." Matt whispered. "He doesn't know where you are. You are so far away from where you started, he wouldn't make it if he knew where you were. His angel is camped out at a dummy warehouse, feeding your Winchester friends the wrong information. And…"

Ben could hear the smile.

"And…" the demon continued. "He's gonna die before he figures it out."

The demon spoke to the very nightmare scenario Ben tried to keep out of his thoughts. He twisted his wrists. The rope burned against his skin, but he bore the pain. He blinked back tears that stung his eyes. He lifted his chin and faked a confidence he wasn't sure he felt.

"He's coming." Ben spoke in a forced growl. "And he's gonna end you."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** Standard disclaimer applies, see previous chapters for all I don't own the SPN rights.

**A/N:** If I get too "out there", let me know.

Chapter 14

Lisa didn't want to be in the same room as Dean. They could see it in her eyes, the way she faced away from him. They drove her to their motel room where she curled up into a ball on the inside bed. She was facing the long counter framed by the vanity mirror. She could see the reflection of all three "men" if she cared to open her eyes. She kept them clenched shut.

Dean had a plan. He always has a plan. Sam told him he would stay and do some research. He looked at the recumbent form on his bed, curled up on the pastel floral bedspread. He didn't tell Dean the rationale behind remaining in the room, because he didn't need to say a word. Dean knew. Lisa couldn't bear to look at him and Dean knew it.

This was so much worse than watching Dean after finding out Castiel had betrayed them. Sam wondered how his brother managed not to break in half. He knew Dean was dealing with one betrayal after another and he couldn't imagine how seeing the look in Lisa's eyes... He couldn't imagine the feeling of guilt his brother must feel at losing Ben.

Sam watched Dean pack a duffel with weapons and spell components with the Re'em looking on. They had called Bobby; who, in turn, alerted the community and network of hunters. It was a supernatural "amber alert".

Dean gave one last regretful look at the figure lying on the bed. His hand twitched as though he would reach out to touch her. Then, he sighed and walked out the door, closing with a quiet click of the lock.

He acknowledged the giant with a brief look and walked with purpose to the waiting Impala. Seth had ridden in the CRV with Sam when they drove to the motel. He looked at the hunter in askance when Dean gestured for him to get in.

"What?" Dean asked. The frustration and aggravation was evident in his tone.

Seth was skeptical about whether or not he should admit to the hunter that he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of riding in the black car. He kept looking toward the CRV and back to Dean's unimpressed expression. He shifted from foot to foot, but made no attempt to open the passenger side door.

"Dude. Just get in." Dean told him.

"Maybe, I shouldn't just…" Seth looked about. His choices were limited. What couldn't he "just"?

Dean crossed his arms across the top of the Impala and leaned forward, his expression stern, his voice brooking no argument.

"Get. in. the. car."

Seth exhaled heavily and furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes at the hunter. On further examination, Seth could tell that given the option, Dean would kill the re'em with his bare hands. Seth didn't feel fear or guilt and hadn't for centuries. The hunter didn't elicit anything close to those feelings in Seth, but there was a niggling scratching sensation near the back of his mind when he looked at the hunter, when he heard the hunter command him. He tried to recall the last time he felt it, but was sure it had been centuries.

He moved to the door and slid into the passenger seat. When he looked at Dean, he could tell the hunter was trying to rein in his anger before getting behind the wheel.

Dean looked at the giant who was bunching his legs up to his chest in order to fit in the front seat of the car and huffed. "Where are we going?"

The look of pure misery made Dean laugh. Seth just looked out the window and wrapped his arms around his knees. Dean continued to chuckle as he headed into town. The rumbling of the Impala and the music from a local rock station were the only company the hunter had besides his own fits of humor. Dean pulled up to a crossroad stop sign and looked at the giant seated (kind of) next to him.

Seth turned from his contemplation of his misery to regard the hunter. Dean narrowed his gaze as he studied the re'em's silver eyes, impassive, indifferent, ageless. Seth inhaled deeply closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration. "East."

Dean turned the car left at the sign and asked, "What's east?"

Seth didn't open his eyes but continued to concentrate. His response came so low that Dean turned the volume down on the radio station currently playing in the background to hear him. "I didn't catch that."

"My grove, human. There are thin partings between worlds all over Creation. They were broken a very long time ago, around the time of the flood. I usually find one and protect the area around it as my grove."

Dean considered this for a while before asking his next question. "So, where does it go? I mean, if there's a place between worlds, what's the world on the other side?"

Seth opened his eyes and stared out the windshield. He didn't speak for many moments and Dean considered asking the question again. _Then again_, he thought, _maybe I don't really want to know_.

"The door can open to many different places, but the one here… opens to the Fae."

The squeal of rubber on asphalt as the car fishtailed back and forth across the highway threw Seth around inside the Impala. He had to hold on to the bench seat with both hands to keep from being thrust into the driver. He looked upon Dean with wide eyes and searched about the exterior for a cause of the erratic human behavior. His eyes landed back on Dean when he heard the tone of yet another bipolar mood swing from the human. _Seriously_, Seth thought, _pick a mood and run with it_.

"You mean faeries?" Dean questioned the giant sitting accordion-style in his passenger seat.

Seth nodded as though he thought Dean had lost his mind. Maybe he had. Dean clenched his eyes shut as he gritted his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. The half-formed vulgarities and complaints were unintelligible to Seth so he contented himself with simply waiting out the storm. Finally, he turned to Seth and pointed a finger right in the re'em's face. His eyes held a glint of the anger his voice confirmed and he barely contained the proverbial fumes from escaping his ears and nose. "I am not going to any place where there are fairies!"

Seth shook his head, but in agreement. "No, you should not. If ever you were to go, you should refrain from asking questions, accepting anything including food or water, or saying thank you. It's really the only way to be sure."

"So is nuking from orbit." Dean replied nearly under his breath as he turned back to the console to put the car into gear once more. "What's the plan then? You just gonna do this ritual summoning thing, the fairies are gonna tell you where Ben is and we go get him?"

Seth looked sidelong at the hunter. He heaved a deep sigh before responding. "Not… exactly."

"Well, how… exactly?" Dean looked to Seth when they came upon another sign blocking their way. Seth pointed to the left, toward the winding road leading up the mountain. Dean turned the car in the indicated direction.

"I will call forth the messenger from the Queen of the Seelie and ask for the location of the child. She will give it to me and then provide me a Way to him."

Dean looked skeptical. "Just like that?"

Seth looked out of the window again. "You know, I hated being beholden to her for centuries." Dean thought maybe the giant had gotten off topic. Seth continued. "I hated being farmed out to others like some chattel, a common beast of burden." Seth turned to face the hunter. "If the demons find a way to break the boy… if Ben commands me to do their bidding… they will have a powerful tool at their disposal. I have managed to kill the Infernals that come across my path indiscriminately, but they have gotten more and more clever as time has marched on." Seth turned again to become lost in his own reflection.

"Seth." Dean prompted. When he didn't get a reply he shouted to him. "Seth! Come on, Man. Tell me what the plan is. 'Cause I'm thinking that it'll take nothing at all to bring you down if you go out there to where they got him and Ben tells you to fall down on your knees and do what Crowley tells you. How's that get him back to his mother?"

Seth remained quiet for a long time as Dean navigated the winding path. The area started to become familiar. "Wait. You said you killed demons indiscriminately?" Seth nodded. "Did you crucify them as well?"

"Those were humans." Seth stated simply. Dean fumed once more as he slammed his hand onto the top of the steering wheel. "What the _Fuck?_" He shouted into the cabin of the car.

"I told you, Dean. I have to protect the Grove. Can you imagine the repercussions of building a fancy resort out there on top of a two-way door into the Fae? Not only would the Queens of the Faeries feel okay with sending their minions through the Way, but humans might find their way in by accident. They are unaware of the consequences of that action and might find they don't like what happens the first time they say 'How you doin'?' to the wrong faerie."

Dean looked at the re'em for a long hard moment before turning back to the road. A smile played at his lips. "Really? _Friends_?"

Seth smiled. "I spend a lot of time in a café in town. They have a television that the older women like to watch their stories on and they _really_ like the re-runs of old episodes. They particularly like that Joey character."

Dean chuckles at this. "How do you spend time there? I mean, you're fricken huge! People don't stare?"

Seth watched as Dean wound the car with expert care up the mountainside at a speed one might find dangerous. He frowned as he answered. "I keep myself well shrouded. Two people could look at me at the same time and not see my true appearance. Even now, Sam sees me differently than you do and Ben sees me as something else entirely."

Dean had nothing to say in response. Seth indicated he should turn on to the fire road and they both became more alert as the Impala made its way up the dirt road. 

The grove appeared just as Seth had left it. It took a great deal of effort on Dean's part to not just leave the Impala on the fire road and hike in, but Seth assured him that if he followed instructions down to the turn by turn, the car would be able to make it to where the opening in the veil would be. Dean didn't notice any difference between the place where they parked the car and through the shimmering protections. Only Seth was able to see through the spell that marked the way into the Unicorn Grove. As soon as they passed the barrier, though, Seth began to feel the pressure behind his eyes that indicated a massive presence on the other side of the veil between the realm of the Fae and the Earthly one.

"Human… Dean." The volume, timbre and tone of Seth's voice warned Dean there was danger. "There is … something… coming through."

"Where?" Dean asked, his voice was terse and strained.

Seth didn't answer, but closed his eyes to mere slits and began chanting, a low sub-sonic rumble that was felt more than heard. Suddenly, lights like fireflies lit the grove, zinging past the two figures standing next to the Impala. They seemed to rush near the men but slowed and zoomed away before approaching too close.

"What the….?" Dean exclaimed.

"Pixies." Seth replied in curt response.

"Shit." Dean clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

Seth walked a short distance into the grove. Dean saw a glimmer of light, larger than the pixies, near the ground to his left. He turned to look and it was gone. When he returned his scrutiny to Seth, he realized the Re'em was speaking to a giant cat-like creature that seemed to glow with a bright green aura. The intelligence in the large eyes of the creature was evident as it regarded the towering silver-white form in front of her. Her eyes narrowed in thought at some statement the Re'em had made and her tail flicked from side to side in agitation. Her grey-green fur fluffed and then slicked close to her body as she turned her tapered head toward Seth. She considered the information imparted unto her, nodded and in a blink, she was gone along with all of the pixies—much to Dean's relief.

"Well?" Dean asked finally.

Seth walked to Dean's side and leaned against the side of the car.

"We wait. I think the Queen will consider my proposal quickly." He shrugged. "But, quickly for her may have a different meaning here."

"What did you propose?" Dean asked.

Seth flinched as Dean posed the question. He turned a pained expression to Dean. "It is considered impolite to ask questions of one of the Fae, Dean. But, bargains… they understand the giving and receiving of information and favors. Just… don't YOU do it. You are much too young to pull it off."

Dean scoffed. "Yeah, well… Me and Faeries really aren't on speaking terms, really." He smiled. Seth tilted his head in askance. Dean smirked as he responded. "I opened fire after being abducted. I don't think they appreciated that all that much. We parted ways fairly quickly after that."

Seth laughed a genuine and hearty guffaw and nearly doubled over in mirth. By the time he was able to wipe the tears from his eyes and control his breathing again. Dean was becoming impatient.

"So, I'm curious as to the nature of your proposed arrangement with the Queen of the Faeries." It took a bit of thought to frame his question in the form of a statement.

Seth thought with his face toward the sun for a moment before explaining. "The Queen of the Seeley was a clever thing. After she enslaved me all those hundreds of years, she needed something from me that necessitated a 'renegotiation' of my contract. I had had a lot of time to formulate the words with which I would manage to use if the opportunity ever presented itself. I have to say, reading human books and watching humans made it a little easier." Seth looked at the Hunter with a smile. "You people are tremendously rude, but you also are terribly manipulative." Seth nearly laughed again at the affronted expression Dean displayed. "I managed to win my freedom with a loop-hole. I think her majesty was slightly distracted at the time of our renegotiation." Seth smirked then sobered. "She's been trying to get my back into her employ since I escaped. I think it appeals to her to have me come to her as a willing servant."

"This doesn't sound like a terribly good idea." Dean added with caution.

Seth shook his head. "It's not. But, she has ways to find the boy… Old magic… True Magic. She also has a Way to reach him once she finds him. You have to make a promise to me…" Seth sounded urgent.

Dean remembered what Seth had said as well as what was told him when he and Sam found out after his close encounter with the faerie-kind. "I can't help but think this is a deal. I shouldn't make a deal with any more supernatural creatures."

Smart man.

"If you would, then, tell the boy to release me when we find him. He will do as you ask and then I can fulfill my part of the deal with the Queen."

"Your part of the bargain requires you to be free of Ben's influence, but if she decides that all the effort to find him and retrieve him was inconvenient, she will be able to command you to kill us all. I don't see the incentive here, Seth."

Seth looked shocked. He chuckled with soft and short exhalations. "You are too clever by half, Human." His look turned speculative. "Perhaps you are what they think you are destined to be. I don't believe in Destiny, but that may be because I don't like the idea of someone holding my leash but me."

Dean nodded. He could appreciate that. "It doesn't seem reasonable that she won't see that you're messing around with the little details."

Seth shrugged. "It's possible she will. She always knows, Dean. But, we will play our little game and in the end, she will have the last living unicorn and I…" Seth bowed his head, his silvery mane of hair covering his face. "I will have a purpose again. Maybe this has been all part of her game all along." Seth looked off into the distance once again lost in his thoughts.

"That's one hell of a long con." Dean speculated.

"There is little else to amuse immortal beings."


End file.
